Last Known Activity
Carroll Binder, Jr. was born on June 23, 1921 in Chicago. He was a son of Carroll. Sr and Dorothy Walton Binder. He graduated from high school in 1938 and enrolled at Harvard University. He graduated with a BS with the Class of 1943. The US Census 1940 shows the family in Highland Park, Illinois.
He enlisted in the US Army Air Forces in 1943. He received training as a navigator, was commissioned, and assigned to an air base in England. He was originally assigned to a combat crew headed by Lt Hoffman, but was soon flying with the Gorman crew.
His first mission was flown on February 20, 1944 with the Gorman crew. He flew a total of 29 missions, with various pilots. On May 24, 1944, he was part of the Worthley crew as it flew on a bombing raid to Berlin, Germany.
Observers, while still over the English Channel, saw the aircraft burning. No flak or fighters had been encountered, so it is surmised an accidental fire started on-board. The aircraft eventually crashed into the North Sea. Eight parachutes were observed, all falling into the North Sea where it is presumed the crew drowned with the exception of one man.
Binder's body was found later by a German fisherman and turned over to German authorities. They buried him in a local cemetery on July 5, 1944. After the war ended, he was moved to Arlington National Cemetery where he lies in Section 11, Site 765.
www.findagrave.com/search
www.ancestry.com/search
www.303rdbg.com/mission report/159.pdf
www.303rdbg.com/combat crews
Harvard Crimson, Mar 8, 1940
US Census 1940
|
|
Comments/Citation
Carroll Binder, Jr. was the assigned navigator on B-17G # 42-97787, unnamed, assigned to the 358th Bomb Squadron.
Mission loading lists as well as Missing Air Crew Report verify the crew was composed of:
1 Lt Joe R. Worthley p
2 Lt Alfred B. Clumpner c-p
2 Lt Carroll Binder, Jr nav
1 Lt Austin J. Mack bomb
SSgt Kenneth R. Pickell eng/tt gun
SSgt Erwin C. Zimmer r/o
Sgt John W. Goetz btg
Sgt James S. Baker lwg
SSgt Leslie M. Schweinebraten rwg
Sgt Elmer E. Simpson tail gun
Note: Ranks and grades as of mission date.
Note: Sgt Simpson was the only survivor, and was captured.
In the Clumpner crew photo (Class A uniforms), Binder is in the back row, at right.
In the Hoffman crew photo (combat dress), Binder is in front, at left.
Service photo source:
www.findagrave.com
|
