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| USAAF 11th AF 30th BG 21st BS |
Pilot Captain Ira Wintermute (survived) Navigator 1st Lt. Horace T. Freeman, Jr., O-421214 30th BG, 392nd BS (MIA / KIA) GA Gunner Pvt Brooks C. Quattlebaum, 34119948 30th BG, 392nd BS (MIA / KIA) NC Crashed June 18, 1942 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in San Diego. Constructors Number 11. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24A-CO Liberator serial number 40-2359. Flown to Alaska. Wartime History Assigned to the 30th Bombardment Group (30th BG), 21st Bombardment Squadron (21st BS). No known nickname or nose art. On January 9, 1942 placed under the control of the 28th Composite Group (28th CG) in the 11th Air Force (11th AF) and flown to Alaska. Mission History On June 18, 1942 took off from Cold Bay Airfield piloted by Captain Ira Wintermute as one of four B-24 in formation with one LB-30 plus three B-17s on a bombing mission against enemy shipping in Kiska Harbor off Kiska Island. Aboard were at least two crew members from the 392nd Bombardment Squadron (392nd BS). Over the target, the formation bombed from an altitude of 14,000'. A transport is left burning and sinking, another was damaged and two enemy scout planes were claimed as possibly shot down. This B-24 was damaged by anti-aircraft fire. Returning, this B-24 ran low on fuel and ditched into the sea. During the landing, the B-24 broke apart and sank immediately with two crew members: Freeman and Quattlebaum were never seen again. The remainder of the crew survived and successfully deployed their life rafts. When this B-24 failed to return it was reported as Missing In Action (MIA). Rescue The surviving crew members were rescued by a PBY Catalina and returned to duty. Memorials The two missing crew members were officially declared dead on June 19, 1942. Both earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Both are memorialized at the courts of the missing at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). Freeman and Quattlebaum on court 7. Freeman also has a memorial marker at Greenwich Cemetery in Savannah, GA. Quattlebaum also has a memorial marker at Leesville Cemetery in Leesville, SC. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24A-CO Liberator 40-2359 The Last Flight of Bomber 31 (2004) page 287 incorrectly noted as B-24D 40-2359 21st BS The Thousand-Mile War (1995) page 124 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Horace T. Freeman Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Brooks C. Quattlebaum FindAGrave - PVT Brooks C Quattlebaum (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Brooks Cuthbert Quattlebaum (Leesville Cemetery photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Horace T Freeman, Jr (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Horace T. Freeman, Jr. (Greenwich Cemetery photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated August 3, 2025
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 B-24  MIA 2 Missing |
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