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This Remembrance Profile was originally created by CMSgt Don Skinner - Deceased
Casualty Info
Last Address 353rd Bomb Squadron St. Donat, Algeria
Casualty Date Apr 13, 1943
Cause MIA-Finding of Death
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Italy
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial - Carthage, Tunisia
Joel B. Busby was born in Texas on January 6, 1922, a son of Thomas and Minnie Ester Brown Busby.
He enlisted as a private in the Army Air Forces on January 12, 1942. His NARA enlistment forms states he enlisted in Dallas, Texas. It also states he had completed 4 years of high school and was working as an unskilled mechanic or repairman.
Busby was trained as a radio operator, and soon shipped overseas. It is not known when he was assigned to the 301st Bomb Group. He was said to have been waiting on transport to the U.S. when he volunteered to fly as radio operator on mission. On April 13, 1942, the aircraft left St. Donat airfield, but never returned. All crew were presumed dead, and the MACR only states "Aircraft failed to return."
Busby left a wife, Lucille. Nothing has been located to confirm a marriage date.
Busby is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing in the North Africa American Cemetery in Carthage, Tunisia. A record at findagrave states he is buried in the Shiloh Cemetery in Brachsfield, Texas, but this may be a memory stone, as the American Battlefield Monuments Commission still lists him as memorialized at Carthage.
www.findagrave.com
www.ancestry.com
www.abmc.gov
www.301stbg.com/bombardment_group.fm
www.301stbg.com/Missions_Macrs.cfm
NARA Enlistment Records
Comments/Citation:
TSgt Joel B. Busby was acting as radio operator on B-17F # 41024394, named "Hockamockolocko Jock VI BB," assigned to the 353rd Bomb Squadron. No explanation has been found for the meaning of the name.
Missing Air Crew Report 16302 was issued, but only lists the crew and the notation "Filed to Return." Mission loading lists show the crew as:
1 Lt Jerry E. Thomas p
1 Lt Duke D. Cummings c-p
1 Lt Harry A. Wann, Jr. nav
1 Lt William E. Loewecke bomb
TSgt Julius J. Jacobs eng/tt gun
TSgt Joel B. Busby r/o
SSgt Ray O. Weeks btg
SSgt James Agee wg
Sgt Robert F. Nance photo
SSgt Richard J. Carignan tail gun
