Supports 1 fact
Missing Air Crew Report 5912
Military Record · United States Army Air Forces · 1944 · Missing Air Crew Reports
Sortie2BDB-24Missing in Action
42-94153.Over Vannes A/D, France.
Mission 410 · 13 June 1944
Serial
42-94153
B-24H
Squadron
330th
Ted's Traveling Circus
Aboard
4
men
The crew.
§ 4 aboard
Name
Position
Serial
Hometown
On this flight
2LtJohn R. Hoffmann
Pilot
Station 1
O-801545
Rural Free Delivery, Orangeburg, New York
Killed in action
Returned
→
2LtVern C. Brown
Co-Pilot
Station 2
O-761868
CA
Killed in action
Returned
→
2LtDavid J. Mahoney
Navigator
Station 3
O-698895
NJ
Returned
→
S/SgtWilliam C. Kraft
Radio Operator
Station 6
33409323
Erie, PA
Returned
→
In their own words.
§ 4 entries
John R. HoffmannPilot
2nd Lt. John R. Hoffmann served as pilot of B-24H 42-94153 with the 330th Bombardment Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was listed as missing following the loss of his aircraft on a mission to Vannes, France on 13 June 1944. His next of kin was listed as Mr. Conrad Hoffmann (father), Rural Free Delivery, Orangeburg, New York.
Vern C. BrownCo-Pilot
2nd Lt. Vern G. Brown served as co-pilot of B-24H 42-94153 with the 330th Bombardment Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was listed as missing following the loss of his aircraft on a mission to Vannes, France on 13 June 1944. His next of kin was listed as Mrs. Irma Delle S. Brown (wife), 1003 North Cedar Street, Glendale, California.
David J. MahoneyNavigator
2nd Lt. David J. Mahoney Jr. served as navigator of B-24H 42-94153 with the 330th Bombardment Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was listed as missing following the loss of his aircraft on a mission to Vannes, France on 13 June 1944. His next of kin was listed as Mr. David J. Mahoney (father), 85 West 35th Street, Bayonne, New Jersey.
William C. KraftRadio Operator
S/Sgt. William C. Kraft served as radio operator aboard B-24H 42-94153 with the 330th Bombardment Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was listed as missing following the loss of his aircraft on a mission to Vannes, France on 13 June 1944. An Individual Casualty Questionnaire (File 5912) was completed for Kraft. His next of kin was listed as Mr. William H. Kraft (father), 750 East 10th Street, Erie, Pennsylvania.
The flight.
§ Ship’s Record
The Day
Took off fromHardwick (Sta. 104)
The Record
ResultMissing in Action
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Formation
Flew with330th Squadron
Fuel & Equipment
H2X scope photoNo
The target.
§ As Briefed
Vannes A/D, France
As the log wrote itVannes A/D, France
Notes.
§ From the Record
B-24H serial 42-94153, assigned to the 330th Bombardment Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, failed to return from a mission to Vannes A/D, France on 13 June 1944. Eyewitness 2nd Lt. Harold R. Bennett of the 330th Bombardment Squadron reported that the aircraft appeared to take a burst of flak in the bomb bay, after which it made a spiral to the right. No parachutes were observed opening. The aircraft was last seen at approximately 22,000 feet altitude before disappearing into hazy weather. German records indicate a Liberator crashed near Pressoir, approximately 4 km north of Ferrieres and 15 km north-northeast of Montargis, on 19 June 1944 at 01:30. Bodies found at the crash site were described as completely charred. A briefcase with navigation documents was also recovered. Identification tags recovered at the crash site belonged to: Fred H. Lowery, John R. Niel, Henry H. Ricard, Joseph P. Bova, Glenn D. Thompson, and Fred Monico.
Read the records.
1 document
Original documents behind what this page says about this sortie — reports, records, and histories the archive holds and is free to reproduce. Check the sources for yourself.
Sources.
§ Provenance
United States Army Air Forces · National Archives and Records Administration · 1944
Official record