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Crew Roster · Personal File

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Joseph P. McDermott

Tail Gunner

S/Sgt. Joseph P. McDermott served as tail gunner aboard B-24J 42-73495 on the 8 April 1944 mission to Brunswick, Germany. He survived the shoot-down over the Island of Schokland in the Ijsselmeer and was taken prisoner.

German records indicate his birthdate as 26 August 1911 and hometown as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was transferred to Dulag Luft on 12 April 1944. His serial number is listed as 33316130 on the MACR, though one German document records it as 37316130. His next of kin was his aunt, Mrs. Kathryn V. Straway, 1224 Longacre Boulevard, Yeadon, Pennsylvania.

Prisoner of War

Sortie Log

4 CATALOGUED SORTIES
25 FEB 1944 — 08 APR 1944

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

Target unrecorded

Georgia Peach42-40985

Frankfurt Am MainM/Y

Georgia Peach42-40985

Brunswick, Germany

B-24J serial number 42-73495, known as aircraft 495D, was lost on 8 April 1944 on a mission to Brunswick, Germany. The aircraft departed AAF 104 (Hardwick) and was last seen at approximately 53°25'N 05°46'E over the Island of Schokland in the Ijsselmeer at around 1520–1535 hours. Over the target the aircraft experienced a bomb hang-up. Aircraft 495D pulled away from formation to close the bomb bay doors, but the bomb went through one of the bomb bay doors, causing the door to blow off. The aircraft never regained formation and was straggling thereafter. Just before reaching the Zuider Zee, fighters were reported attacking the aircraft. The plane started smoking, began a slow turn to the right while losing altitude, and within seconds exploded, falling in four distinct burning pieces. Seven parachutes in total were observed leaving the aircraft — five before the explosion and two after. German records (KUH 24 / KU 1380) confirm the B-24 was downed by a fighter on 8 April 1944 at 1520 hours at the Island of Schokland. Six crew members were captured and transferred to Dulag Luft on 12–15 April 1944; three crew members (Tucker, Sloan, and a third unidentified) were killed and interred at the cemetery of Vollenhove, Overijssel, on 14 April 1944.

Old Hickory42-73495