492nd Bombardment Group / 856th Bombardment Squadron
2nd Lieutenant Mark R. GRILL
From Marinette, Wisconsin
Killed in Action on 7th July 1944 as bombardier of B-24H / #42-95005 / 5Z-'G'.
Took off from North Pickenham airfield. Target: Bernburg, Germany.
Shot down in mass fighter attacks of about 60-80 FW-190's near the Initial Point.
In the available records there is no information about the crash location which is believed to be just north of Halle.
8 KIA / 1 POW.
MACR 7236.
2Lt Grill is buried at Margraten Cemetery N-16-13.
The above two photographs were sourced from our Fields of Honor Database (University of Wisconsin yearbooks 1942 / 1943).
387th Bombardment Group / 558th Bombardment Squadron
1st Lieutenant Robert P. STURM
From Chicago, Illinois.
Killed in action 8th May 1945 (VE 'Victory in Europe Day...) as bombardier of B-26G /
#44-67889 / KX-'B' / 'Command Performance'.
Took off from Y-44 (Beek) airfield, the Netherlands, on a local training flight.
The B-26 was witnessed by locals to enter a low altitude spin and crash at Mesch-Eijsden.
All six crew members were reported 'Killed on Operational Mission' (KOM).
Note: Lt Sturm 'washed out' of Primary Pilot Training in Class 43-J, Hicks Field and was subsequently retrained as bombardier. He is buried at Margraten Cemetery, G-13-1. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-margraten-s/47395-sturm-robert-p
The above crew photograph and text was sourced from my Dutch friend Richard Kunne who, as grave adopter, has done in depth research into the crew and the crash.
Since the moderator lives in Eijsden we are now investigating if a small memorial can be erected at the Mesch crash site.
389 Bombardment Group / 567 Bombardment Squadron
1st Lieutenant Paul L. MICHALK
From Lexington, Texas.
Killed in Action 7th April 1945 as bombardier of B-24LHO / #44-49254 / HP-'K' / 'The Palace of Dallas'. Target: Duneburg / Neumuenster, Germany. This aircraft was lead aircraft of the 2nd Air Division and was flown by Lieutenant Bob Dallas and Colonel Herboth as Force Commander.
This lead aircraft was rammed by a ME-109 flown by Unteroffizier Heinrich Rosner who proceeded to ram a second B-24 and subsequently went down himself (he survived his crash). #44-49254 spiraled down and crashed near Soltau, Germany. 9 KIA / 2 POW. MACR 14113.
1Lt Michalk is buried at Ardennes Cemetery, C-21-5. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-ardennes-m/46049-michalk-paul-l
388 Bombardment Group / 563 Bombardment Squadron
1st Lieutenant Paul G. BALLARD
From Kenwood Oneida, New York.
Killed in action on 17th February 1945 as bombardier of B-17G / #44-8437 / 'B' .
Took off from Knettishall airfield. Target: the Frankfurt marshaling yards.
The aircraft received a direct flak hit on the #2 engine and blew up about two minutes after bombs-away. Crashed on the Hanau freight station. 9 KIA / 1 RTD. MACR 12414.
1Lt Ballard is buried at Lorraine Cemetery, E-31-38. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/290-not-listed-cemeteries/not-listed-in-lorraine/not-listed-in-lorraine-b/73099-ballard-paul-g-lor-e-31-38
Note that the FOHDB file has yet to be completed with the new found info.
489th Bombardment Group / 846th Bombardment Squadron
2nd Lieutenant Robert H. KLECKER
From Watertown, Wisconsin.
Missing in Action on 7th July 1944 as bombardier of B-24H /#41-29533 / 8R-'?' / 'Little Iodine'. Took off from Halesworth. Target: Aschersleben, Germany.
Ditched in the North Sea on return, possibly due to battle damage. 8 MIA / 1 KIA.
2Lt Klecker is commemorated on the Cambridge Cemetery Tablets of the Missing.
492nd Bombardment Group / 856th Bombardment Squadron
2nd Lieutenant Richard S. KREAR
From Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania.
Missing in Action on 6th July 1944 as bombardier of B-24J / #44-40064 / 5Z-'K'.
Took off from North Pickenham airfield. Target: Kiel, Germany.
Ditched in the English Channel on the return flight.
Seven members of the crew were picked up by the air Sea Rescue Services but two crew members are still missing. MACR 8199. 7 RTD / 2 MIA.
2Lt Krear is commemorated on the Cambridge Cemetery Tablets of the Missing.
467th Bombardment Group / 788th Bombardment Squadron
2nd Lieutenant Malcolm PATTANGAL Jr
From Brockton, Massachusetts.
Missing on a non-operational flight on 16th August 1944 as bombardier-navigator of B-24H
/ #42-50580 / X7-'?'. Took off from Rackheath on a training mission. The aircraft ditched in the sea off the coast of Great Britain.
Reports suggest that this aircraft was brought down due to another B-24 suffering a defective machine gun. 6 KNO / 5 RTD.
2Lt Pattangall is commemorated on the Cambridge Cemetery Tablets of the Missing.