Hardwick SkiesStation 104 · 93rd Bomb GroupAdd to the Record
Sortie3BDB-17Aborted

42-100363.Over V-weapon sites, Pas-de-Calais, France (assembly accident - never reached target).

Mission 257 · 13 March 1944

Serial
42-100363
B-24J
Fuselage Code
YM
Squadron
409th
Ted's Traveling Circus
Aboard
6
men

The crew.

§ 6 aboard
Name
Position
Serial
Hometown
On this flight
Alfred C. Chamberlain
1LtAlfred C. Chamberlain
Pilot
Station 1
O-736473
Sullivan, Maine
Killed in action
Returned
→
2LtBeuford A. Mckethen
Co-Pilot
Station 2
O-749177
KS
Killed in action
Returned
→
Raymond H. Piotrowski
2LtRaymond H. Piotrowski
Navigator
Station 3
O-683205
—
Returned
→
2LtEugene Z. Talley
Bombardier
Station 4
O-678495
—
Returned
→
T/SgtFredrick Brewer
Engineer / Top Turret
Station 5
32445906
—
Returned
→
S/SgtCharles M. O'Brien
Tail Gunner
Station 9
12167930
NY
Returned
→

In their own words.

§ 6 entries
Alfred C. ChamberlainPilot

Find A Grave memorial for Chamberlain confirms he was piloting 42-100363 on this loss.

Beuford A. MckethenCo-Pilot

Find A Grave memorial for Chamberlain lists Mckethen as part of this crew; he flew co-pilot aboard this same plane on 2 of the 3 immediately preceding missions.

Raymond H. PiotrowskiNavigator

Find A Grave memorial for Chamberlain lists Piotrowski as navigator on this crew; he flew navigator aboard this same plane on the 3 immediately preceding missions.

Eugene Z. TalleyBombardier

Find A Grave memorial for Chamberlain lists Talley as bombardier on this crew; he flew bombardier aboard this same plane on 2 of the 3 immediately preceding missions.

Fredrick BrewerEngineer / Top Turret

Find A Grave memorial for Chamberlain lists T/Sgt Frederick H. Brewer as engineer on this crew; merged from two duplicate Brewer records per Jon's 2026-08-05 merge.

Charles M. O'BrienTail Gunner

Find A Grave memorial for Chamberlain lists O'Brien as part of this crew; he flew tail gunner/ball turret aboard this same plane on all 3 of the immediately preceding missions.

The flight.

§ Ship’s Record
The Day
Took off fromHardwick (Sta. 104)
The Record
ResultAborted
Counted toward tourNo
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Formation
Flew with409th Squadron
Fuel & Equipment
H2X scope photoNo

The target.

§ As Briefed
V-weapon sites, Pas-de-Calais, France (assembly accident - never reached target)
As the log wrote itV-weapon sites, Pas-de-Calais, France (assembly accident - never reached target)

Notes.

§ From the Record
Aircraft exploded in mid-air during formation assembly and crashed at Benacre, England, before departing for the intended target. Crew of ten: 6 killed, 4 bailed out safely. MACR 5018.
Back to mission 257