A/C #42-37748
MACR #1156 -- Microfiche 385

418th Sqdn. . Crew joined the 100th on 28 Oct 1943 and were flying their second mission (Gelsenkirchen) when lost.

Took off as a spare and was returning to base as such, apparently were over enemy coast when hit by flak and possibly E/C.

All the above KIA are memorialized on the WALL OF THE MISSING AT CAMBRIDGE.

James W. McCurley was returned to military control 18 Aug 44, may have been and evadee or escaped. He stated the plane was fired on by coastal flak while returning and the Engineer and others proably wounded. He states, "The pilot told Kennemer (Lt James A. Kennemer, the co-pilot) to shoot a Very Pistol when a group of five or six English fighters approached head on about ten minutes before I left the ship. " LT Martin called for the crew to bail out and the navigator and bombardier were able to do so. It was McCurley's supposition that, "The ship may have continued on it eastern heading and crashed in the channel to the Atlantic. Perhaps shot in the water by enemy aircraft of the northeastern portion of France."

These men were carried as MIA until 17 Aug 1945 and then determined to be KIA's. This probably indicates the ship was never found and could have crashed in the sea. . . pw