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| USAAF 7th AF 11th BG 42nd BS |
Pilot 1st Lt. Charles F. Pratte, Jr., O-797602 (MIA / KIA) Warren, RI Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Paul E. Vinroot, O-770481 (MIA / KIA) Chicago, IL Navigator 1st. Lt. Randolph H. Ball, O-2045315 (MIA / KIA) Oklahoma City, OK Bombardier 2nd Lt. Richard J. Meagher, O-676233 (MIA / KIA) New York, NY Engineer TSgt William H. Mashaw, 32449547 (MIA / KIA) Lyons Falls, NY Radio TSgt John Slawsky, 12095349 (MIA / KIA) Jersey City, NJ Radar SSgt Joseph R. Hyson, 32429714 (MIA / KIA) New York, NY Gunner SSgt William J. Farrell, 32490115 (MIA / KIA) Little Falls, NY Gunner SSgt Arthur T. Maloney, 32456436 (MIA / KIA) South Orange, NJ MIA January 22, 1945 MACR 11622 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated in San Diego. Constructors number 3667. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24J-110-CO Liberator serial number 42-109871. Ferried to Hickam Field then to Guam. Wartime History Assigned to the 7th Air Force (7th AF), 11th Bombardment Group (11th BG), 42nd Bombardment Squadron (42nd BS). No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R-1830-65 serial numbers 42-88428, 42-91927, 42-93046 and BP-449656. Aboard were .50 caliber machine guns and a single .30 caliber machine gun, serial numbers listed in Missing Air Crew Report 11622 (MACR 11622). Mission History On January 22, 1945 took off from Isley Field No. 1 on Guam at 2:38pm piloted by 1st Lt. Charles F. Pratte, Jr. on an aerial mining mission of Chi Chi Jima Harbor bordering Chi Chi Jima. Weather was reported as ceiling and visibility unlimited (CAVU). After take off, this bomber was not heard from again. When it failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Search Captain Jordan M. Churchill was in charge of the search for this missing bomber. Two B-24s from the 11th BG searched for this missing bomber without results in the area between Guam and Iwo Jima flying at 2,000'. Also, Army and Navy aircraft were altered to be on the lookout for this bomber. Smoke and a life raft were sighted at Lat 17° N, Long 144° 29' E at 222325Z. Memorials The entire crew as officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). Vinroot on court 5. Pratte, Ball, Meagher, Mashaw, Slawsky, Hyson, Farrell and Maloney on court 7. Mashaw also has a memorial marker at Wildwood Cemetery in Lyons Falls, NY. Pratte earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Vinroot earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Ball earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Rose Hill Cemetery in Chickasha, OK at block 18, lot 30. Meagher earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Mashaw earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Slawsky earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Hyson earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Farrell earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Maloney earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J-110-CO Liberator 42-109871 "109871 (11th BG) lost Jan 22, 1945, North Pacific. MACR 11622" Missing Air Crew Report 11622 (MACR 11622) created January 24, 1945 Rome Daily Sentinel "Lyons Falls Sgt. W. H. Mashaw Missing On Saipan: Engineer-Gunner on bomber Lost in Action Jan. 22, Parents Learn" February 26, 1945 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles F. Pratte Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Paul E. Vinroot American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Randolph H. Ball American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Richard J. Meagher American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William H. Mashaw American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John Slawsky American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph R. Hyson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William J. Farrell American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Arthur T. Maloney FindAGrave - Capt Charles F Pratte, Jr (photo, courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Paul E Vinroot (photo, courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Randolph H Ball (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lieut Randolph H Ball (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Richard J Meagher (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt William H Mashaw (news, courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - William H Mashaw (photo, memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - TSgt John Slawsky (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Joseph R Hyson (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt William J Farrell (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Arthur T Maloney (courts of the missing photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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