Crew Roster · Personal File

Clifford A. Blais

Gunner · 328th Squadron

HometownRI

S/Sgt. Clifford A. Blais served as a gunner on B-24D 41-23729, 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was reported missing on 18 October 1943 following a diversion mission in which the aircraft was lost to enemy aircraft action. His surname appears as 'Plaja' on the main MACR form due to an OCR error; the next-of-kin notification list confirms the correct spelling as Blais.

His mother, Mrs. Mabel E. Blais, was listed as next of kin at 195 Montgomery Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island. He is commemorated at Cambridge American Cemetery.

PASSED 18 OCT 1943

Sortie Log

1 CATALOGUED SORTIE
18 OCT 1943

The sorties below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.

8AF Mission

Date

Target

Aircraft

№ 162

18 OCT 1943

Diversion attack

B-24D serial 41-23729, assigned to the 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, failed to return from a diversion mission on 18 October 1943. The aircraft was last known at position 54°20'N 04°50'E at 1325 hours and was lost as a result of enemy aircraft action. Engines installed were type R-1830-43, serials 42-38351, 42-39915, 42-39264, and 42-39808. Weather conditions at the time of loss were not available. No eyewitness descriptions of the crash or forced landing were attached to the report. The report was prepared by 1st Lt. John L. T. Smith, Air Force, and dated 17 May 1944. It was forwarded through Eighth Air Force headquarters to the Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington, D.C., via ETOUSA.

Shoot Luke41-23729

§ Interment

Cemetery

Cambridge American Cemetery