452 Bombardment Group / 729 Bombardment Squadron
2nd Lieutenant Raymond E. CHILDERS
From Englewood, Colorado
Killed in Action 2nd January 1945 as bombardier of B-17G / #43-38921.
Took off from Deopham Green airfield. Target: Ehrang, Germany.
A direct flak hit over Trier, one minute before bombs away, caused a fire between #1 and #2 engines. the aircraft went into a flat spin, broke apart and crashed near Ehrang. 8 KIA / 1 POW. MACR 11225.
2Lt Childers is buried at Luxembourg Cemetery H-3-57. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-luxembourg-c/84242-childers-raymond-e-lux-h-3-57
387 Bombardment Group / 557 Bombardment Squadron
2nd Lieutenant James W. PADGETT
From Indianapolis, Indiana
Killed on Operational Mission 25th November 1944 as navigator / bombardier of B-26G /
#43-34151 / KS-'R'.
Took off from Clastres airfield in France. Target: Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Crashed in bad weather and low altitude on the retunf flight. Crashlocation: near La Neuville-Housset, 30 kms east of St. Quentin. 4 KOM / 3 RTD.
2Lt Padgett is buried at Epinal Cemetery B-10-43. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-epinal-p/70565-padgett-james-w-epi-b-10-43
The above memorial plaque photograph was sourced from the American War Memorial website.
Apparently James W. Padgett 'washed out' of pilot training and was subsequently retrained as navigator / bombardier.
The class book photograph above was sourced from Cadet Pilot Class Book 43-C, Luke Field, Arizona.
17 Bombardment Group / 95 Bombardment Squadron
1st Lieutenant Edward J. PURDY
From Minneapolis, Minnesota
Killed in Action 1st January 1945 as bombardier of B-26B / #42-43308 / 'New York Central II'. Took off from Dijon airfield, France on a bombing mission to Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Hit by flak the aircraft crashed 300 yars west of Fischbach, 9 miles south-east of Pirmasens, Germany.
6 KIA / 2 POW. MACR 11110.
1Lt Purdy is buried at Lorraine Cemetery G-4-13. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/304-not-listed-cemeteries/not-listed-in-lorraine/not-listed-in-lorraine-p/79852-purdy-edward-j-lor-g-4-13
Note that the above file has yet to be completed with the new found info.
The above artist impression of #42-43308 was sourced from https://markstyling.com/
155 Night Photo Reconnaissance Squadron
2nd Lieutenant Milton H. SMITH
From Fisher, Illinois
Missing in Action on 6th September 1944 as bombardier of F-3A / #44-0195.
Note: the F-3A was the night time photograph recce version of the Lockheed A-20J/K.
This aircraft went missing in the sea off Keflavik, Iceland.
The pilot (1Lt Edward L. Sorger and 2Lt Smith are missing in action. It is not known if there were other casualties and further details of this sortie are unknown. Who can add any relevant info?
2 Lt Smith is commemorated on the Cambridge Cemetery Tablets of the Missing.
