357 Fighter Group / 363 Fighter Squadron
Captain Lloyd M. HUBBARD
From Hayward, California
Killed in Action 8th February 1944 as pilot of P-51B / #43-12368 / B6-?.
Took off from Leiston airfield, UK, on a bomber escort mission to Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Hit by flak his aircraft crashed at Stave, 5 miles north-east of Florennes, Belgium. MACR 2339.
Captain Hubbard is buried at Margraten Cemetery H-17-16. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-margraten-h/47314-hubbard-lloyd-m
The class book photograph (left) was sourced from Primary Training Pilot Class Book 42-I, Rankin,Tulare, California.
The other portrait photograph and the memorial for Captain Hubbard at the crash site are courtesy of the Fields of Honor Database.
44 Bombardment Group / 506 Bombardment Squadron
2nd Lieutenant Frank Navas
From Skranton, Pennsylvania
Missing in Action 22nd March 1943 as co-pilot of B-24H / #41-24191 / 'Cactus'. Took off from Shipdham airfield, UK. Target: Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Attacked by FW-190's, damaging #4 and #3 engines respectively, the aircraft had difficulty keeping up with the formation. Went down into the sea, approximately 10 miles north of the German Frisian Island of Baltrum. 10 MIA.
2Lt Navas is commemorated on the Margraten Cemetery Walls of the Missing. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-margraten-n/46873-navas-frank
I am indebted to Mr. Rob Willemsen who some time ago shared the group photograph of the 1Lt Virgil Fouts crew, and identifying all individual crew members in this photograph.
Co-pilot Frank Navas is kneeling in the middle.
The photograph to the right shows him in the cropped picture.
95 Bombardment Group / 335 Bombardment Squadron
1st Lieutenant William C. ADAMS
From Lookout Mountain, Tennessee
Killed in Action 13th June 1943 as pilot of B-17F / #42-29675 / OE-'S'.
Target: the U-boat yards at Kiel, Germany. Last seen west of the target area the aircraft crashed into the Baltic Sea between Fehmarn and the Danish island of Lolland. 7 KIA / 3 MIA. MACR 2169.
1Lt Adams is buried at Ardennes Cemetery A-34-51. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-ardennes-a/50611-adams-william-c
96 Bombardment Group / 337 Bombardment Squadron
1st Lieutenant Edmund I. BOLSTAD
From Fertile, Minnesota
Killed in action 8th October 1943 as pilot of B-17F / #42-30367 / AW-'Y' / 'Flak Happy'.
Target: Bremen, but all aircraft bombed near the IP (Initial Point) near Oldenburg.
Shot down by enemy aircraft the B-17 crashed west of Friesoythe / Neuscharrel, 15 miles south-west of Bad Zwischenahn, Germany. 7 KIA / 3 POW. MACR 852.
1Lt Bolstad is buried at Ardennes Cemetery C-3-20. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-ardennes-b/53778-bolstad-edmund-i
The above photographs of #42-30367 are courtesy of AAMIB / UPL45753 and USAAF.
384 Bombardment Group / 547 Bombardment Squadron
1st Lieutenant George B. KECK
From San Francisco, California
Killed in Action 12th August 1943 as pilot of B-17F / #42-30104 / SO-'A'.
Target: Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Shot down by fighters.
Crashed at Haus Oelgarten, near Hennef/Sieg, 7 miles east of Bonn, Germany. 6 KIA / 4 POW. MACR 0286.
1Lt Keck is buried at Ardennes Cemetery D-1-40. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-ardennes-k/54666-keck-george-b
20 Fighter Group / 77 Fighter Squadron
Captain Evan J. MACHEN
From San Bernardino, California
Missing in Action 8th April 1944 as pilot of P-38 / #42-68181 / LC-'J'.
Sortie: fighter sweep in the Salzwedel area. Germany. Hit by flak in the left wing and engine on the fourth pass on Salzwedel airfield. He pulled up to about 1500 feet to bail out but the aircraft suddenly nosed down and crashed and exploded at Fuhrberg Bruch, about six miles west of Celle. MACR 3618.
Captain Machen is buried at Ardennes Cemetery, D-15-1. Also see https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-ardennes-m/49549-machen-evan-j
First Lieutenant William K. Coon, First Lieutenant James M. Morris and First Lieutenant Evan J. Machen of the 20th Fighter Group consult a map (censored) at Kings Cliffe air base, October 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'Lightnings Attack Northern France. Versatile P-38 Lightnings, flashing their power across the English Channel for the first time in a combat role, bring new serial phase into the European Theatre of Operations. Well-trained pilots - some of them already experienced in the other theaters of war - and ground crews swear by their ships. From briefing room to flying line, from runways to skyways and contest with the enemy, each mission represents expert planning by Operations and Intelligence and the brains and sweat of every man who prepares an order or tightens a screw on a prop. Photo shows:- 1st Lt. William K. Coon, Compton, California,1st. Lt. James M. Morris, Detroit, Michigan and 1st. Lt. Evan J. Machen, San Bernadino, California. U.S. Pool/SG/H. Keystone 85.' (Source: American Air Museum in Britain / FRE 72).
The newspaper clipping was sourced from Find a Grave.
The source of the photograph in the newspaper clipping must be USAAF.
The same picture but of better quality is shown on the right.
354 Fighter Group / 353 Fighter Squadron
Major Don M. BEERBOWER
From Hill City, Minnesota
Killed in Action 9th August 1944 as pilot of P-51B / #43-12375 / FT-'E' / 'Bonnie B II'.
Sortie: fighter sweep in the Reims area, France. Hit by flak in the canopy area while strafing an airfield north of Reims. The aircraft pulled up steeply but suddenly nosed straight down and crashed and exploded 6 miles north-west of Reims. The pilot managed to bail out but was too low for his parachute to open properly. MACR 8150. Major Beerbower is buried at Epinal Cemetery, A-30-42.
The above illustrations of Major Beerbower and his aircraft are courtesy of the American Air Museum in Britain.
329 Fighter Group / 331 Fighter Squadron
Note: Constituted as 329th Fighter Group on 24 Jun 1942. Activated on 10 Jul 1942. Assigned to Fourth AF. Used P-38's to train replacement pilots. Also provided cadres for fighter groups.
2nd Lieutenant Richard L. ROPE
From Long Beach, California
While on a Ferry Flight to North Africa pilot and aircraft crashed at Vale de Carros, Albufeira, Portugal. 2Lt Rope is buried at Lorraine Cemetery, D-7-5. https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/306-not-listed-cemeteries/not-listed-in-lorraine/not-listed-in-lorraine-r/80269-rope-richard-l-lor-d-7-5 Note that this form has yet to be updated with the new found info.
The following info is courtesy of Portuguese researchers from www.portugal1939-1945.org
"A fuel shortage or a damage were probably the causes for accident forcing the pilot to find a place to land, when he was unable to find it he had to jump and use the parachute. A later investigation indicated that the pilot had hit the T-shaped tail elevator that threw him unconscious and incapable of pulling his parachute ripcord. The pilot fell helpless into the ground and died.
Neither the plane nor the pilot where part of any unit and were on the way for their first combat unit as Rope had recently left the flying school. By the end of the war his body was reburied in the Lorraine American Cemetery, in St. Avold, France".
The above clippings were sourced from the following newspapers: Independent 9-10-1942 (Left), Press Telegram 30-1-1943 (Middle), Sandusky Register 11-2-1943 (Right).
305 Bombardment Group / 365 Bombardment Squadron
1st Lieutenant Grant B. HIGGS
From Salt lake city, Utah
Missing in Action 13th June 1943 as pilot of B-17F / #42-5125 / XK-'Q' / 'Boom Town Jr'.
Target: the Bremen U-boat yards, Germany.
Believed to have been hit by flak the aircraft came down in the North Sea. 8 MIA / 2 POW.
1Lt Higgs is commemorated on the Cambridge Cemetery Tablets of the Missing.
The 'cockpit photograph' is courtesy of Michel Beckers / Find a Grave.
The nose art photograph was sourced via the website 'B-17 Queen of the Skies' https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/
354 Fighter Group / 356 Fighter Squadron
1st Lieutenant Norman E. HILL
From Los Angeles, California
Missing in Action 11th December 1943 as pilot of P-51B / #43-12196 / AJ-?
Sortie: bomber escort mission to the Zuidlaarder Lake, Holland. It is assumed that the pilot became unconscious due to lack of oxygen. The airplane went into a dive from 24,000 feet and it is believed excessive manifold pressure caused the engine to explode.
Crashed in North Sea, 1 mile off Southwold, Suffolk. UK. MIA. MACR 1457,
1Lt Hill is commemorated on the Cambridge Cemetery Tablets of the Missing.
The above Class Book photograph was sourced from Pilot Class Book 42-I, Sequoia , California.
The newspaper clipping was sourced from the Wilmington Daily Press from 12th April 1944.
354 Fighter Group / 353 Fighter Squadron
1st Lieutenant James J. PARSONS
From Seattle, Washington
Killed in a flying accident 19th March 1944 as pilot of P-51B / #43-6497 / FT-'J'.
1Lt James J. Parsons was leading a flight of four taking off from Boxted airfield on a practice bomber affiliation mission. the first and second element pulled out on the runway for take-off. The second element leader, thinking the first element airborne, started taking off and as a result his aircraft crashed into the rear of Lt Parsons' aircraft. The injuries to the pilot were fatal and he subsequently died of wounds. 1Lt Parsons is buried at Cambridge Cemetery, F-5-31.
The portrait photographs were sourced from: Pilot Class Book 42-I Rankin, California (Primary Training), Faces of Cambridge and USAAF.
Army Air Corps / Unit unidentified / who can add info ??
2nd Lieutenant Orval W. Spiry
From Sioux City, Iowa
Missing in Action 14th April 1943.
Lost at sea / believed to be lost over the Atlantic / "ran into a storm with other planes"...
2Lt Spiry is commemorated on the Cambridge Cemetery Tablets of the Missing.
Who can add relevant info??
Left: High School Class Book photograph 1938. Right: newspaper clipping from the Des Moines Tribune 22-12-1938.
Above left: newspaper clipping from the Sioux city Journal 28-7-1943. Above right: clipping from Argus Leader 22-12-1943.