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This Remembrance Profile was originally created by CMSgt Don Skinner - Deceased
Casualty Info
Home Town Webster, SD
Last Address Tibenham Station 124, England
Casualty Date Feb 27, 1945
Cause MIA-Finding of Death
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Germany
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment American Cemetery - Henri-Chapelle, Belgium
Squadrons of the 445th BG
700th Bombardment Squadron - Heavy
701st Bombardment Squadron - Heavy
702nd Bombardment Squadron -Heavy
703rd Bombardment Squadron - HeavyAssigned 8th AAF: November 1943
Lucky Gordon 445th BG
"Sissy Lee"
Unit: 741st BS, 455th BG, 304th BW, 15th AF, USAAF
Serial: 26 (42-51974)
This aircraft was interned in Switzerland on 27th February 1945. Returned on 29th September 1945.
B-24H "Lonesome Lois", 445th BG, 701st BS
Wing/Command Assignment
VIII BC, 2 BD, 2 CBW: 4 Nov 1943
2 BD, 2 CBW 8 Jan 1944
2 AD, 2 CBW 1 Jan 1945
Combat Aircraft:
B-24H
B-24J
B-24L
B-24M
Stations
TIBENHAM 4 Nov 1943 to 28 May 1945
Group COs
Col. Robert H. Terrill 1 April 1943 to 24 July 1944
Col. William W. Jones 25 July 1944 to 12 September 1945
First Mission: 13 Dec 1943
Last Mission: 25 Apr 1945
Missions: 282
Total Sorties: 7,145
Total Bomb Tonnage: 16,732 Tons
Aircraft MIA: 108
Major Awards:
Distinguished Unit Citation on 24 Feb 1944 Gotha
Claims to Fame
Highest Group loss on a single mission on 27 September 1944
Above 2 BD average in bombing accuracy record for last six months of the war.
Early History:
Activated 1 April 1943 at Gowen Field in Idaho, where initial training undertaken. Established at Wendover AAB, Utah, from 8 June 1943. Moved to Sioux City AB, Iowa on 5-7 July 1943 to complete training. On the 20th of October 1943 the ground echelon moved to Camp Shanks, NY and embarked on the Queen Mary on the 26th of October 1943, sailing next day. The unit arrived in Clyde on the 2nd of November 1943. The Aircraft departed Sioux City late in October 1943 and flew to the UNited Kingdom via the southern route, Florida, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and West Africa.
Subsequent History:
Redeployed to the US May/June 1945. The air echelon departed the Tibenham on 17 May 1945, and departed the United Kingdom on the 20th of May 1945. 703rd BS Ground echelon sailed on USAT Argentine from Southhampton and the other squadrons on the USAT Cristol at Bristol. Both ships arrived New York on the 8th of June 1945. Personnel had 30 days R&R. Group established Fort Dix, NJ and inactivated on the 12th of September 1945.
Alotted to USAF reserve forces, activated in 1952 as a fighter-bomber group. Later, as troop carrier wing with C-123s. Converted to C-124s and served under the Military Airlift Command.
