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| USAAF 5th AF 7th BG 9th BS |
Pilot 1st Lt. William J. Prichard, O-371864 (MIA / KIA) Baton Rouge, LA Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. William T. Morgan, O-362538 (MIA / KIA) NY Navigator 2nd Lt. Isidore Alfred, O-435396 (MIA / KIA) Kings County, NY Bombardier 2nd Lt. Fergus O. Luscombe, O-398646 (MIA / KIA) TX Engineer SSgt Raymond P. Legault, 6906400 (survived) Queens, NY Gunner Pvt Joseph Hines, 721410 (survived) Radio Pfc Ignatius Barron, 6996085 (survived) Gunner Pvt Horace Salmon, 18034759 (survived) MIA February 8, 1942 MACR 16154 page 9 Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2303. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2492. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG), 9th Bombardment Squadron (9th BS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On February 8, 1942 at 7:35am took off from Singosari Airfield (Malang) on Java piloted by 1st Lt. William J. Prichard armed with seven 100 pound bombs and a bomb bay fuel tank as one of nine B-17s on a bombing mission against Kendari II Airfield on Celebes (Sulawesi). Prichard only arrived in Java three day earlier. Over the target, a dozen Japanese fighters trailed the formation from behind and made head on attacks. In the first pass, this B-17 was hit in the unprotected bomb bay fuel tank and caught fire and began trailing smoke. Several of the crew were observed to bail out and their parachutes open before the bomber exploded. When this bomber failed to return it was listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was B-17E 41-2456 pilot Captain John "Duke" L. Dufrane, Jr. Damaged was B-17E 41-2483. Also hit was B-17E 41-2455 in the bomb bay fuel tank causing it to catch fire but it was immediately jettisoned. Afterwards, the remaining B-17s aborted the mission and landed at Djogjakarta Airfield on Java. Fates of the Crew Four of the crew managed to bail out: Legault, Hines, Barron and Salmon and were later rescued and returned to duty. Memorials Five of the crew were officially declared dead the day of the mission. All five are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Prichard earned the Air Medal and the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Inverness, Sunflower County, Mississippi. Morgan earned the Air Medal and the Purple Heart, posthumously. Alfred earned the Silver Star and the Purple Heart, posthumously. Luscombe earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Legault passed away August 5, 1989 at age 71. He is buried at Calverton National Cemetery in Calverton, NY at section 11 plot 10434. Hines has an unknown burial in the United States. Barron has an unknown burial in the United States. Salmon has an unknown burial in the United States. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Isidore Alfred NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Raymond P. Legault NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Horace Salmon USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2492 "2492 delivered McDill Jan 4, 1942. Assigned to 19th BG Java Feb 5, 1942, transferred to 7th BG, 9th BS. Blew up in formation Feb 8, 1942, Java" Missing Air Crew Report 16154 (MACR 16154) related to B-17E 41-2456 page 8 mentions this loss Fortress Against The Sun (2001) pages 122-125 (February 8, 1942), 386 (41-2492) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William J. Prichard FindAGrave - 1Lt William Jesse Prichard (photos, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - LT William Jesse Prichard (obituary, memorial marker) death date Feb 2, 1942 [sic] Clarion Ledger "Inverness Pilot Is Killed In Action" February 20, 1942 page 3 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William T. Morgan FindAGrave - 1Lt William T Morgan (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Isidore Alfred FindAGrave - 2Lt Isidore Alfred (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Fergus O. Luscombe FindAGrave - 2Lt Fergus O'Connor Luscombe Jr. (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Raymond P. Legault (grave photo) FindAGrave - I B Barron (grave photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated April 19, 2021
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 B-17  MIA 4 Missing |
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