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| USAAF 5th AF 90th BG 400th BS  USAAF 1942 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Leonard F. Temple, O-564457 (MIA / KIA) Hickman County, TN Co-Pilot 1st Lt. John L. Hower, O-760848 (MIA / KIA) Bloomsburg, PA Navigator 1st Lt Holdman L. Tanner, O-700677 (MIA / KIA) South Pittsburg, TN Bombardier 1st LT John G. Pappas, O-701632 (MIA / KIA, BR) Parsons, KS Engineer TSgt Herbert M. Sabin, 39200708 (MIA / KIA, BR) Rio Linda, CA Asst Engineer SSgt Gerald D. McGee, 14160846 (MIA / KIA, BR) Ducktown, TN Radio TSgt Stanley E. Geraldson, 16116405 (MIA / KIA, BR) Milwaukee, WI Asst Radio SSgt John T. Plumb, Jr., 18194808 (MIA / KIA, BR) Oklahoma City, OK Nose Gunner SSgt Martin P. Vugts, 20139903 (MIA / KIA, BR) Manchester, NH Tail Gunner SSgt Denver F. Hammons, 38505099 (MIA / KIA, BR) Siloam Springs, AR MIA October 10, 1944 MACR 9323 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated. Constructors Number 4304. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24J-160-CO Liberator serial number 44-40368. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 90th Bombardment Group (90th BG) "Jolly Rogers", 400th Bombardment Squadron (400th BS) "Black Pirates". No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R1830-65A serial numbers BP 437929, PB 438038, BP 437417 and BP 438047. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns makers unknown with serial numbers 382597, 671329, 381978, 385150, 382673, 382567, 382012 and 382052. Mission History On October 10, 1944 took off from Biak (APO 920) piloted by 1st Lt. Leonard F. Temple via Sansapor Airfield on a bombing mission against Balikpapan on southeast Borneo. The weather was low scattered clouds. This bomber was flying as the wingman for B-24 piloted by Lt. Craig in a two plane element appended to the second element of B-24s from 319th Bombardment Squadron (319th BS) with six B-24s flying in two bomber elements of three planes in a V formation. At roughly 10:50am roughly 10 miles northwest of the target, intercepted by six Hamps and Zekes that made a high frontal attack and dropped aerial burst bombs. This B-24 was hit in the cockpit by an aerial bomb and went out of control and was observed to pull up, stall, fell off to the right then went into a steep dive. At least one crew member was observed parachuting out before it crashed and exploded on impact. When this plane failed to return it was listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Temple earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Nashville National Cemetery in section MA site 3. Temple also has a memorial marker at Little Rock Cemetery in Lyles, TN. Hower earned the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Pappas earned the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Sabin earned the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Arlington National Cemetery at section MK site 249. McGee earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Geraldson earned the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Plumb earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Vugts earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Hammons earned the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Leonard F. Temple NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John L. Hower NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Herbert M. Sabin NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Gerald D. Mc Gee surname two words NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Stanley E. Geraldson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John T. Plumb, Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Martin P. Vugts NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Denver F. Hammons NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list any of the crew as official prisoners USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J-160-CO Liberator 44-40368 Missing Air Crew Report 9323 ( MACR 9323) created October 10, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Leonard F. Temple American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John L. Hower American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Holdman L. Tanner American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John G. Pappas American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Herbert M. Sabin American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Gerald D. McGee American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Stanley E. Geraldson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John T. Plumb, Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Martin P. Vugts American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Denver F. Hammons FindAGrave - 1LT Leonard Forrest Temple (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1LT Leonard Forest Temple (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 1LT Leonard Forrest Temple (Little Rock Cemetery memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 1LT John Lawrence “Jack” Hower (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 1LT Holdman Lance Tanner (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1LT John George Pappas (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSGT Herbert Melvin Sabin (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSGT Herbert Melvin Sabin (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Gerald Davis McGee (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Gerald Davis McGee (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - TSGT Stanley E Geraldson (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSGT John Turner “Jack” Plumb Jr. (photo, obituary, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSGT Martin Patrick Vugts (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Denver F. Hammons (tablets of the missing) The Jolly Rogers History of the 90th Bomb Group During World War II (1981) pages 149-150 (October 10, 1944), 198 (10/10/44 loss) Legacy of the 90th Bombardment Group "The Jolly Rogers" (1994) pages 139-140 (October 10, 1944) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated December 13, 2024
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 B-24  Map Oct 10, 1944  MIA 10 Missing |
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