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MACR PILOT: 2Lt  Paul A.  Martin  - O-543304
MACR: 03234 FICHE : 01105

ORGANIZATION
LOCATION: AAF Station #139 COMMAND: VIII AF GROUP: 100th Bomb Gp (H) AAF
SQUADRON: 350th BS DETACHMENT:  
     

DETAIL
DEPARTURE:AAF Station #139 INITIAL COURSE: Blank  
INTENDED DESTINATION: Augsburg    
MISSION TYPE:Operational    

WEATHER & VISIBILITY AT TIME OF LAST REPORT
CONDITION: 6/10 undercast    

GIVE
DATE: 1944-03-18 TIME: 12:10 LOCATION: 4956 - 0120E

SPECIFY:

Last Sighted

CONFIRMED OR BELIEVED REASON FOR LOSS
LOSS DUE TO : Other circumstances

OTHER REASON FOR LOSS:

Collision with A/C 913

AIRCRAFT: 42-39830
TYPE: B-17 SERIES: G  
     
     

ENGINES:
MODEL:    
A: 43-65523
B: 42-78881
C: 43-65485
D: 43-65491
    

INSTALLED WEAPONS:
A: 670691
B: 670247
C: 414059
D: 667224		 E: 667144
F: 670821
G: 669682
H: 669569		 I: 670565
J: 670670
K: 668334
L: 670404

PERSONS BELOW ARE LISTED AS:
CASUALTY TYPE: Battle casualty  
NUMBER OF PERSONS ON BOARD:    
CREW: 10 PASS: 0 TOTAL: 10

PERSONNEL:

POSITION NAME RANK SERIAL
P1
P2 Paul A.  Martin 2Lt O-543304
CP Thomas Cryan 1Lt O-795361
NAV (N) Tom F. Hughes 2Lt O-809515
BOM (B) Albert P. Racz 2Lt O-688553
RAD Russell E. Longdon TSgt 13167691
ENG Levi G. Tonn TSgt 36620984
BAL Richard J. Faulkner SSgt 12214475
WG (W) Veryl A. Lund SSgt 37462927
WG (W) Lonnie J. Albin SSgt 18124028
TG (T) John E. Howley SSgt 16110646

PERSONS WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE LAST KNOWLEDGE OF AIRCRAFT

Mark G. Gummersall 1Lt O-803607
Last sighted
Malooly 2Lt O-737173
Last sighted    
Francis G. Lauro Capt O-389236
Last sighted

PERSONNEL WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE SURVIVED

REASON: Parachutes were used OTHER:  

EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTIONS OF CRASH

First Witness: Composite Report  
Report: 
COMPOSITE REPORT

A/C No. 830 and A/C 913 collided over France at 1210 hours near 496-0120E.
A/C No. 830 broke up while A/C No. 913 pulled away, badly damaged but apparently under control.  One chute was seen to come from A/C No. 830.  (NOTE: One other observer believed that it was A/C No. 913 that broke up  and A/C No. 830 went down under control; however, the ship that did go down under control had two port engines torn out, and only No. 4 was operating.  The nose of this A/C also was sheared off.)  The collision resulted when the Group leader aborted and the formation scattered and reformed. (Capt. Lauro, Lt. Gummersall, Lt. Malooly.)
   
   
Second Witness: No Data  
Report: 

      

    





  
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PREPARING OFFICER


PREPARED BY: WALTER G. BURKE 1st Lt. Air Corps Personnel Officer  


DATE PREPARED:
  1999-11-30


  



TRANSCRIBER NOTES



    
    REPORT: 
Following from the interrogation of the only survivor, Richard J. Faulkner, in July 1945 at 3718 AAF Base, Denver, Colorado regarding the death of Lt Cryan. He gave the following information.

Over the cast of France, Lt. Cryan's bomber (Lt Paul A. Martin/ Pilot) encountered heavy flak. Formation was broken with lead ship falling out. A new formation was formed with Lt. Cryan's ship as wing man.  There was a sudden explosion near Lt Cryan's aircraft. Sgt Faulkner, ball turret gunner, upon  bailing out noticed the ship broken in two sections. Sgt Faulkner having been in the rear section and Lt Cryan's station was in the front section as co-pilot.

Sgt Faulkner became unconscious upon the opening of his chute and did not regain consciousness until after landing when he noticed the front section of the aircraft crashed in the woods, surrounded by German soldiers. Sgt Faulkner was rescued by French patriots. Having an understanding of the French language, Sgt Faulkner was informed by the French Patriots that all the remaining crew members were killed in the crash of the A/C. Descriptions by the French patriots of one of the  bodies found in the  front section of the A/C fitted that of Lt Cryan."

The German records in the state that "bodies were thrown from the plane .. Badly mutilated and identified by I.D. Tags. Burial took place in the French cemetery in Poix de la Somme and was performed with military honors.