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Ground Crews of the 555th Bomb Squadron with Martin B-26 Marauders
Ground crew, 41-31794, "SPARTA", 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron
23 Mar 44 to 12 Jul 44 ran out of fuel, crashed on the beach 3km S of Bardelot, France. 2.Lts. Donald M. Epstein P; Herbert M Zweig C/P; Horace D Dow B/N; T/Sgt Bernard J Adamski R/G; S/Sgts Wayne R Austin E/G; John J Farrell A/G. (All POW). MACR 7025
"SON OF SATAN", 41-31613, 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron
18 Nov 44 right wing, outboard of engine, blown off by flak, spun out of formation almost at once, crashed, exploded near Kempfeld/Hunsruck 11 miles SSE of Traben-Trarbach, Germany. Capt. Robert J. Owen, Jr P; 1.Lt Weston F Nelson C/P; 1.Lt Roger S Holm B/N; S/Sgt Robert R Beegle E/G; T/Sgt Chester J Mann, Jr R/G; S/Sgt Thomas A Price A/G. (Mann POW, rest KIA). MARC 10466
"LORETTA YOUNG", 41-31624, 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron
20 May 44 after take off at about1, 200' altitude the left engine began to cut out, propeller feathered, continued straight ahead and after a small right turn into the good engine pilot saw Boreham ahead. Pilot approached Boreham in a right hand pattern touched down halfway down runway both brakes hydraulic and emergency were applied, both main tyres blew out, ran off end of runway where left main gear and nose gear collapsed. Capt. Phillip Tenor P; 2.Lt's Harry O Peebles C/P; George Tabachniick B/N; S/Sgt's Robert E TrittipoE G; Alfred M Faries R/G; Robert E Carroll A/G. (Faries & Carroll minor injuries; rest of crew safe)
"Butch", 41-31743, 386th Bomb Group, 554th Bomb Squadron, 30 Apr 44 to 10 Jun 44 crashed on take off, salvaged; Pilot Lt. Lester B. Dunlap
"INCENDIARY MARY", 41-31768, 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron; 29 May 44 flak, crashlanded, salvaged; Capt. Robert L. Perkins, Pilot
Crew cheif, 41-31794, "SPARTA", 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron
"MR FIVE BY FIVE", 41-31612 386BG 555BS
"SWAMP ANGEL", 42-96100, 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron
15 Mar 44 to 27 May 44 flak burst just after bombs away blew fabric off elevator, pulled up, banked out of formation both engines on fire, two chutes out of tail section, after a short delay one more chute from rear. A/c went into a steep dive covered in flames, crashed near St Germaine-en-Laye 10 miles NE of Paris. 1.Lts. Robert E. Kingsley P; Richard A Hart C/P; William H Harmon B/N; T/Sgt Harry P Guinther R/G; S/Sgts Henry J Kurecka E/G; Jerome S Pokrzywinski A/G. (Kingsley killed in crash, rest of crew pow's). MARC 5123
"41-35358" Sexy Betsy
"YANKEE GUERILLA", 41-34946, 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron
Jul 43 to 5 Oct 44 Became difficult to handle on return, crashed into an empty
house and burned at Rethondes near Compiègne, France on return from aborted
combat mission Duren barracks, Germany
1.Lt. William Flinn Iind II P; 2.Lts's Everett G Johnson C/P; Wayne D Hicks B/N;
S/Sgt's Daniel J Graff E/G; Robert C Naylor R/G; Sgt Robert C Johnson T/G.
(Naylor, Johnson minor injuries; rest of crew KIA). MARC 15764
"HELLS-A-POPPIN II", 41-31987, 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron
"SPAM BURGER", 41-31970, 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron
26 Nov 43 to 7 Oct 44 direct flak hit in rear of left engine nacelle, pulled out of formation, flew parallel about a 1/4 mile to left, left prop feathered and apparently under control despite raging fire in left wing, two men jumped, plane fell back, flames went out after 30/40 seconds, attempted to rejoin formation, fire broke out again after another 30/40 seconds the fire went out once more still flying straight and level exploded, left wing broke away, went into a spin, crashed. 1.Lts.Taylor Guice P; George M Johnson C/P; Joseph Faverman B/N; Sgts Douglas F McKenna E/G; Simon Davidson R/G; Joel N Clark T/G. (Guice, Johnson, Faverman, KIA; McKenna, Davidson, Clark, POW). MACR 9221