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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USAAF 13th AF 307th BG 371st BS  USAAF c1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Edward "Eddie" J. Rice, O-683585 (MIA / KIA) Des Moines,
Iowa Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Kenneth "Smitty" D. Smith, O-691003 (MIA / KIA) Albuquerque, NM Navigator 1st Lt Marcel "Max" J. Bilder, O-743560 (MIA / KIA) Winona, MN Bombardier 1st Lt. Lester P. Brown, Jr. "Brownie", O-751880 (MIA / KIA) Pittsfield, MA Engineer SSgt Benjamin "Benny" T. Tampio, 16022254 (MIA / KIA) MI Assistant Engineer SSgt Sol "Sy" Stein, 12181798 (MIA / KIA) Brooklyn, NY Radio Operator SSgt Thomas "Buck" B. Silko, 13038652 (MIA / KIA) Monongahela, PA Photographer TSgt Tommy W. Griggs, 38228054 (MIA / KIA) Abilene, TX Waist Gunner Sgt Donald "Don" E. Reed, 35740776 (MIA / KIA) Buchannon, WV Waist Gunner SSgt Earle W. Painter "Junior", 13119229 (MIA / KIA) Staunton, VA Tail Gunner Sgt Sam M. Manfredi, 36615401 (MIA / KIA) Chicago, Illinois Crashed July 5, 1944 MACR 6526 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated in San Diego. Constructors Number 4547. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24J-170-CO Liberator serial number 44-40611. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field to the South Pacific. Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 307th Bombardment Group (307th BG) "Long Rangers", 371st Bombardment Squadron (371st BS). Nicknamed "Miss Jones". Mission History On July 5, 1944 took off from Mokerang Airfield on Los Negros Island pilot Edward "Eddie" J. Rice on a bombing mission over Yap Island. 24 B-24s from the 307th "Long Rangers" departed at different times to try to catch enemy fighters and other personnel on the ground. Each bomber was armed with fragmentary cluster bombs. This was one of the longest missions the 307th Bombardment Group flew requiring two extra fuel tanks in the bomb bays to fly the round trip of 1,300 miles. Over the target, this B-24 was shot down. There were reports of several chutes opening and other planes in the group dropped life rafts to them and reports of the men deploying the life rafts. When this bomber failed to return, the entire crew was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials The entire crew were declared dead the day of the mission. The entire crew earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. The entire crew is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Rice earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters. Smith earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. Bilder earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. He also has a memorial marker at Saint Marys Cemetery in Winona, MN. Brown earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. Tampio earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. Stein earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. Silko earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. Griggs earned the Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters. Reed earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. He also has a memorial marker at Reed Cemetery in Tallmansville, WV. Painter earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. He also has a memorial marker at Thornrose Cemetery in Staunton, VA. Manfredi earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. Relative John Painter (nephew of SSgt Earle W. Painter) "When the rescue flight got there no trace was found of them. probably lost to strafing or sharks. none of this is confirmed as the sources have been forgotten. Waiting on MACR and other official documents. also, not sure if the crew of 'Rum Dum' was the same plane they went down in and that is what the crew called themselves or if it was another a/c that they flew missions in. also, my aunt tells me that after the war on of the planes ground crew came to visit my grandmother and said they sat up by the runway far hours waiting for them to return because they were a very popular crew and no one wanted to admit that they weren't coming back. once i can confirm the stories i would be honored to give you the details to post on the site. part of the reason i`m posting is to possibly help relatives of the other crew members who might be looking for information." References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Benjamin T. Tampio (MI) NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Benjamin T. Tampio (Undefined) NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Sol Stein NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Earle W. Painter USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J-170-CO Liberator 44-40611 "40611 (307th BG) shot down Jul 5, 1944 150mi SE of Yap Island, exploded on impact in ocean. MACR 6526." Missing Air Crew Report 6526 (MACR 6526) B-24 Nose Art Name Directory listed this B-24 as "Miss Jones", with a picture of the nose art and several men standing beside it. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edward J. Rice American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Kenneth D. Smith American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Marcel J. Bilder American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lester P. Brown, Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Benjamin T. Tampio American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Sol Stein American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Thomas B. Silko American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Tommy W. Griggs American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donald E. Reed American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Earle W. Painter American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Sam M. Manfredi FindAGrave - 1Lt Edward J Rice (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 1Lt Kenneth D Smith (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Marcel J Bilder (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1LT Marcel J Bilder (memorial marker photos) FindAGrave - 1Lt Lester P Brown, Jr (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt Benjamin T Tampio (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Sol Stein (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt Thomas B Silko (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt Tommy W Griggs (photo, news, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Donald E Reed (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Donald E Reed (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Earle W Painter (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Sgt Earle W. Painter (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Sam M Manfredi (photo, tablets of the missing) Thanks to John Painter for additional information 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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