392 BG / 579 BS
2Lt Vincent B. COLEMAN
From Providence, Rhode Island.
KIA 4-1-1944 as navigator of B-24H / #42-52083 / GC-'E' / 'Outhouse Mouse' / MACR 1911.
Target: Kiel, Germany. Attacked by fighters after the bomb run over Kiel the pilot was forced to turn back over Helgoland. He attempted to land in a meadow during a snow storm near the Erhlong Farm at Doerpum, 5 miles north of Bredstedt / Flensburg, Germany.
On touch down the aircraft turned over and exploded in flames.10 KIA.
2Lt Coleman is buried at Ardennes Cemetery, C-16-16.
Source of the portrait photograph: Bombardier Class Book 43-03, Big Spring, Texas.
The aircraft photograph of #42-52083 'Outhouse Mouse' is courtesy of www.b24bestweb.com
Note: apparently 2Lt Coleman was also trained as a navigator.
His photograph was also found in Navigator Class Book 43-09, San Marcos, Texas. (See photograph on the right).
301 BG / 419 BS
2Lt Paul R. PARENT
From San Bernardino. California.
KIA 25-2-1944 as navigator of B-17F / #42-30310 / MACR 2597. Target: the Regensburg aircraft factories, Germany.
Hit by flak the aircraft was on fire and the crew was ordered to bale out. The aircraft crashed on the Kasereck mountain, south of Salzburg, Austria. 2Lt Parent succumbed to the cold winter conditions and froze to death. 1 KIA / 9 POW.
2Lt Parent is buried at Lorraine Cemetery, K-48-21.
Source of the portrait photograph: Bombardier Class Book 43-03, Big Spring, Texas.
Note: apparently 2Lt Parent was also trained as a navigator.
His photograph was also found in Navigator Class Book 43-09, San Marcos, Texas. (See photograph on the right).
The aircraft photograph is courtesy USAAF A-26818AC.
457 BG / 751 BS
2Lt Edward C. CANNON
From Nashville, Tennessee.
KIA 20-4-1944 as navigator of B-17G / #42-97137 / 'F' / 'Silver Queen' / MACR 4058.
Target: the V-sites at Gorenflos, France. One minute before target a direct flak hit between the ball turret and the radio room caused the aircraft to explode in mid-air. Crashed 800 yards west of Bailleul, 4 miles south of Abbeville, France. 8 KIA / 2 POW.
2Lt Cannon is buried at Normandy Cemetery, D-14-39.
Source of the portrait photograph: Bombardier Class Book 43-03, Big Spring, Texas.
Note: apparently 2Lt Cannon was also trained as a navigator.
His photograph was also found in Navigator Class Book 43-09, San Marcos, Texas. (See photograph on the right).
The above aircraft photograph of #42-97137 is courtesy of the 457 BG Association website https://457thbombgroupassoc.org/