Last Known Activity:
Graham Glenn Guyton was born in Charleston, South Carolina on October 1, 1918. The family moved to Sumter, South Carolina when he was still a small child. He attended Sumter High School, graduating in 1936. He then enrolled in Clemson University as a member of the Class of 1940. When he graduated in 1940, his ROTC experience there got him a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry. He also worked for the Textile Company of Rock Hill, South Carolina.
On active duty, after approximately 1 year, he transferred to the Air Corps and received pilot training. He was graduated and given his wings in May 1943 in Pampa, Texas. All his flight training had been at various fields in Texas.
He was assigned to the newly-activated 448th Bomb Group, undergoing final training at Sioux City, Iowa. He was assigned a combat crew and further training in combat procedures. The unit deployed overseas in November 1943. Arriving at Seething Air Station in England, Guyton and his crew were assigned to the 715th Bomb Squadron, and began flying combat missions in December 1943. Records indicate he flew 15 missions.
On January 5, 1944, the crew was tasked to participate in a bombing raid on German war facilities at Kiel, Germany. Enemy aircraft attacked the formation as it approached the target, and Guyton's ship was shot down. It crashed southwest of Kiel. Remains were recovered and buried in the New Horst Cemetery near Kiel, the crew being buried on January 7, 1944 in Graves 309 to 311.
After the war, Lt Guyton was returned to the U.s. and buried in the churchyard cemetery at Providence Baptist Church in Sumter, South Carolina.
www.findagrave.com/search
www.cualumni.clemson.edu/page.aspx?pid=1852
www.accident-report.org/crews/alpha/namegul-gy.html
www.fold3.com/i,age#28608106
www.aviationarcheology.org/scr
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Comments/Citation:
Lt Guyton was pilot of B-24H # 41-29234, no name or art work, assigned to 715th Bomb Squadron.
Missing Air Crew Report 2517 was issued, and identifies the crew as:
1 Lt Graham G. Guyton p
2 Lt Thomas R. Allen, Jr. c-p
2 Lt Richard M. Wheelock nav
2 Lt Pickney W. Seiders bomb
TSgt Woodrow Callahan eng
SSgt Harold L. Kinot r/o
SSgt Dennis C. Quinland asst eng
SSgt Kenneth Ciolek btg
Sgt Josh K. Askew lwg
SSgt Olmar K. Bradley, Jr rwg
Two of the crew, Lts. Allen and Wheellock, evidently survived and taken prisoner as an attachment to the MACR contains their statements concerning the crash.
In one report, Sgt Askew's name is given as "Makow." Although smudged, the MACR states "Askew."
The announcement of the engagement of Lt. Guyton and Miss Mickey Hanks was to be published the same week he was killed.
Service photo source:
www.cualumni.clemson.edu/page.aspx?pid=1852
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