Crew was on it's first mission. Aircraft was hit by flak over Dunkerque at 0853 hours at 24,000 feet. The #4 engine caught fire and the right wing broke off near the the #4 engine inducing a spin - five or six chutes may have come from this aircraft. Sherback had no recollection of leaving the plane and believed he must have been blown clear. A German officer told him the plane exploded and all remains went into the sea. All the KIAs above are commemorated on The Wall of the Missing at the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium.

Letter to Harry Cruver from George L. Sherback, sole survivor of the John F. Ryan Crew date September 1, 1996:

Harry; Sorry about the long delay in replying… About the 14 June 44 mission. (1) The reported fire in #4 engine is in error. Actually was intact and the fire was between #3 and #4 in what I thought (and still do) was as fuel tank fire. My last observation from the radio room was a fairly large hole that was enlarging as the ship skin was melting. (2) The first sign of trouble was a report from the waist of smoke followed almost immediately by "There is a lot of fire on the right wing." (3) A short time before the wing fire report, Lt. Carl S. McGinty-BOM sustained a wound to one of his feet. I ask if I could help but was told by Lt. Hans J. Chorpening-NAV to wait a minute to see if he could take care of McGinty. Shortly McGinty agreed that nothing further could be done in the aircraft. (4) My last clear memory in the plane was putting on my chute and heading to the waist where the guys were getting ready to get out. I recall being at the ball turret support when the lighting went out. My next vague recollection was thinking that it was so quiet and such a beautiful day. Next memory if lying on the ground with blood all over the place. There were Germans on a bank approximately 30 to 40 yards away calling for me to come out. My first thought was to stay put and have them come and get me, but still bleeding, I unfastened my chute, threw my escape kit aside and walked out. I later was told the area was mined and the Germans were afraid to come after me. I was lucky, I guess, to have missed the mines. (5) Conversation with German officer after receiving first aid for my wounds, he was a Cambridge graduate and spoke excellent English, informed me the aircraft had exploded and fell in the channel with the loss of all my comrades. As for the German officer at the crash site, I have no idea what he told me. (6) As a complete Ryan Crew this was the first mission. During June 6 to June 10, this was during the time the 100th was flying two missions a day, I seem to recall that Ryan and Fenner flew at least one or more of these with other crews. I may be wrong here but the memory is fairly strong. (7) Post Crash Info: From the bunker I was taken to a hospital in Lille were my wounds were treated. Next stop was Frankfurt for solitary confinement and interrogation, after which I was sent to the Orthopedic hospital in Meiningen for about one month - then to Stettin near the Baltic. Left this camp on Feb 6, 1945 and marched eighty-six (86) days until liberated by the 104th Division on the Mulde River near Helle, Germany. We were then flown to Camp Lucky Strike for shipment home. Was discharged at San Antonio, Texas in the fall of 1945. That's it Harry, it would be nice to have more details, but nothing will change the reality of the loss of nine excellent people with whom I was granted the privilege to live and fly with - even for a short time.. Regards George.