Supports 1 fact
Missing Air Crew Report 15484
Military Record · United States Army Air Forces · 1943 · Missing Air Crew Reports
Sortie2BDMissing in Action
“Double Trouble”.Over Sousse, Tunisia.
Mission · 19 January 1943
Serial
41-23672
B-24D
Fuselage Code
GO
Squadron
328th
Ted's Traveling Circus
Aboard
10
men
The crew.
§ 10 aboard
Name
Position
Serial
Hometown
On this flight
CaptLuther C. Cox
Pilot
Station 1
O-789234
Baltimore
Prisoner of war
Returned
→
2LtGerald G. Gray
Co-Pilot
Station 2
0-660348
Vida
Prisoner of war
Returned
→
2LtFrank T. Lewis
Navigator
Station 3
O-724629
PA
Killed in action
Returned
→
CaptBenjamin F. Riggs
Navigator
Station 3
O-437651
Kay County, Oklahoma
Killed in action
Returned
→
T/SgtMarlin E. Staller
Engineer / Top Turret
Station 5
13027598
PA
Killed in action
Returned
→
T/SgtStephen V. Medling
Radio Operator
Station 6
17031048
MO
Killed in action
Returned
→
S/SgtHarry Cottingham
Waist Gunner
Station 8
39169796
CA
Killed in action
Returned
→
S/SgtGeorge R. Creadon
Waist Gunner
Station 8
35276843
OH
Killed in action
Returned
→
S/SgtEdwin J. Malloy
Waist Gunner
Station 8
32237395
NJ
Killed in action
Returned
→
S/SgtMichael J. Reilly
Tail Gunner
Station 9
12051207
NJ
Killed in action
Returned
→
In their own words.
§ 10 entries
Luther C. CoxPilot
Capt. Luther C. Cox was the pilot of B-24D "Double Trouble" on the 19 January 1943 mission to Sousse, Tunisia. Cox survived and later provided interrogation testimony at Mitchel Field, New York, stating that his airplane was hit by flak and fighters, crashed into the water and exploded, and that only two parachutes were seen to open. He is listed as RMC (Returned to Military Control) on the MACR.
Gerald G. GrayCo-Pilot
2nd Lt. Gerald G. Gray served as co-pilot aboard B-24D "Double Trouble" on 19 January 1943. Gray is listed as RMC (Returned to Military Control) on the revised MACR form.
Frank T. LewisNavigator
2nd Lt. Frank T. Lewis, Jr. flew aboard B-24D "Double Trouble" on 19 January 1943. Lewis is listed as KIA on the revised MACR.
Benjamin F. RiggsNavigator
Capt. Benjamin F. Riggs was listed in crew position 3 (P) aboard B-24D "Double Trouble" on 19 January 1943. Riggs is listed as KIA on the revised MACR. The aircraft crashed into the sea approximately 150 miles southeast of Malta after being hit by flak and fighters.
Marlin E. StallerEngineer / Top Turret
T/Sgt. Marlin E. Staller served as flight engineer aboard B-24D "Double Trouble" on 19 January 1943. Staller is listed as KIA on the revised MACR. A separate interrogation form was compiled for him at Mitchel Field, with Cox reporting nothing was ever heard from the crew after the loss.
Stephen V. MedlingRadio Operator
T/Sgt. Stephen V. Medling, Jr. served as radio operator aboard B-24D "Double Trouble" on 19 January 1943. Medling is listed as KIA on the revised MACR.
Harry CottinghamWaist Gunner
S/Sgt. Harry Cottingham served as waist gunner aboard B-24D "Double Trouble" on 19 January 1943. Cottingham is listed as KIA on the revised MACR. Per the interrogation report filed by Capt. Cox, all crew bailed out except the tail gunner who died in the aircraft; however, nothing was ever heard from those who bailed out.
George R. CreadonWaist Gunner
S/Sgt. George R. Creadon flew as a gunner aboard B-24D "Double Trouble" on 19 January 1943. Creadon is listed as KIA on the revised MACR.
Edwin J. MalloyWaist Gunner
S/Sgt. Edwin J. Malloy flew as a gunner aboard B-24D "Double Trouble" on 19 January 1943. Malloy is listed as DED (died) on the revised MACR, distinguished from the KIA listings of the other casualties.
Michael J. ReillyTail Gunner
S/Sgt. Michael J. Reilly served as tail gunner aboard B-24D "Double Trouble" on 19 January 1943. Reilly is listed as KIA on the revised MACR. Per the Cox interrogation report, the tail gunner died in the aircraft — Reilly is almost certainly this individual, as all other crew were reported to have bailed out.
The flight.
§ Ship’s Record
The Day
Took off fromBenghazi (Benina Main)
The Record
ResultMissing in Action
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Formation
Flew with328th Squadron
Fuel & Equipment
H2X scope photoNo
The target.
§ As Briefed
Sousse, Tunisia
As the log wrote itSousse, Tunisia
Notes.
§ From the Record
B-24D serial 41-23672, nicknamed "Double Trouble," was lost on 19 January 1943 during a bombing mission to Sousse, Tunisia. The aircraft was hit by flak and fighters. Pilot Capt. Luther C. Cox reported that the airplane crashed into the water and exploded. Only two parachutes were seen to open; the tail gunner died in the aircraft. The aircraft was last sighted approximately 150 miles southeast of Malta, heading toward the Tunisian coast before it disappeared.
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 · 1943
Official record