Missing crews July 24 & Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

Hi!

I am looking for more info regarding 98th BG mission 5 Benghazi in August 9, 1942.

1942-08-09

Taracopp shows (41-11)766 415th BS
Pilot Francis, CO-Pilot Lt Zant Crew Bailed out, 4 of crew lost.

Christopher Shores book A History of the Mediterranean Air War Vol 2
page 672. US Casualties 415th BS, B-24D 41-11808 (M) Root of Evil. Shot down.
Pilot 1/Lt Paul H. Francis and CO-Pilot Baled out, Crew KIA.

I am looking for the crew list and who died / graves MACR if it exist, no luck so far.

After this mission 41-11808 is not appearing in further records.

Re: Missing crew Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

There appears to be no MACR having been filed in sources I checked. Does the book give any other information as to where it may have crashed, that is, allied territory or enemy territory?

Kent

Re: Missing crew Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

Neither Francis or Zant show up in the 98 Bomb Group website when clicking on the 415 BS. There are over 300 Zants on Find a Grave and have not go thru those (a first name would help), the closet Francis I found was Paul H. Francis, Colonel, USAF, born June 2, 1916 and died February 9, 1956. I am assuming he died in an accident as it lists 33 BS, 22 Bomb Wing at March Field; he is buried at Arlington national Cemetery.

Kent

Re: Missing crew Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

The four crew who died in this accident are:
O-432332 Pascoe Cooper Deaton 1st Lt. NY 9 8 1942 B-24D # 41-11808 "ROOT OF ALL EVIL" DNB 98BG/415BS Woodland Cemetery, Coopersburg, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, USA
19005256 Robert A Greenrod T/Sgt. ID 9 8 1942 B-24D # 41-11808 "ROOT OF ALL EVIL" DNB 98BG/415BS Morris Hill Cemetery, Boise, Ada County, Idaho, USA
11044163 Rene A Leger S/Sgt. RI 9 8 1942 B-24D # 41-11808 "ROOT OF ALL EVIL" DNB 98BG/415BS North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia
36071102 Gilbert C Worrall S/Sgt. IL 9 8 1942 B-24D # 41-11808 "ROOT OF ALL EVIL" DNB 98BG/415BS Richwoods Cemetery, Athensville, Greene County, Illinois, USA

Sean

Re: Missing crew Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

Terrific Sean. I couldn't find any other source regarding the crew.

Paul H. Francis and Zant, (i dont know Zant's first name) survived he bail out to continue flying with 98th BG. It's plausible they survived the war too.

Secondary, nothing else is mentioned where the B-24 crashed.
Got little bit confused when i saw 415th BS B-24 41-11764 also having the name Root of all Evil. I Don't know if it is still valid?

I am very grateful for all help. Thanks!

JohanSWE

Re: Missing crew Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

Here's a picture of "Root of all Evil". Even though the caption says 41-11766, in the book B24 Nose Art-, the serial number of "Root of all Evil" is identified as 41-11808

Re: Missing crew Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

The MACR system was not started until July 1, 1943. There are MACRs for losses before that date, but they were all prepared after July 1, 1943.

From The Pyramidiers, page 31, crew lists of June 27, 1942 for transit July 3 to Middle East

Crew 5
1st Lt Paul H Francis "O-427322" Received AM Jan 1, 1943 as Capt
2nd Lt Wilson M Chapman "O-442750" [died 2008]? [McMullen]?
2nd Lt Ray E Harris "O-660489" Received AM Jan 1, 1943 as 2nd Lt
2nd Lt Pascoe C Deaton "O-432332" noted as KIA, no date, initial burial El Alia
T/Sgt Robert A Greenrod "19005256" noted as KIA, no date, initial burial El Alia
S/Sgt Gilbert C Worrall "36071102" noted as KIA, no date, initial burial El Alia
S/Sgt Bud W Cook "6956301" Received AM Jan 1, 1943 as T/Sgt
S/Sgt Rene A Leger "11044163" noted as KIA Aug 9, 1942, initial burial El Alia
M/Sgt Ian (NMI) Shand "6149726"
M/Sgt Robert J Singleton "6994941"
T/Sgt Leon D Freeman "11031944"

Crew 6
1st Lt Robert W Zant "O-431088" Received DFC & AM Jan 1, 1943 as 1st Lt [died 2006]?
2nd Lt Leonard A West "O-436021" Received AM Jan 1, 1943 as 2nd Lt
2nd Lt David L Sullivan "O-443459" Received AM Jan 1, 1943 as 2nd Lt; KIA March 2, 1944 as 1st Lt
2nd Lt Ernest A Miller "O-724211" Received AM Jan 1, 1943 as 2nd Lt
S/Sgt George J Williams "16042939" Received AM Jan 1, 1943 as T/Sgt; KIA March 2, 1944
S/Sgt Vincent J DePalo "12033348" Received DFC & AM Jan 1, 1943 as S/Sgt
S/Sgt Anton J Budgen "16019863" Received AM Jan 1, 1943 as S/Sgt; KIA March 2, 1944
S/Sgt Lyle S Winchell "19059406" Received DFC & AM Jan 1, 1943 as S/Sgt
T/Sgt Donald W Measley "16028857"
T/Sgt Francis I Langton "7020844"
Sgt Cecil W Lawyer "37014748"

From the above I would assume that Zant replaced Chapman on the Aug 9 mission, for some reason. Probably the rest of the crew for Aug 9 is as shown.

I haven't been able to trace the March 2, 1944 deaths any further.

Sean Welch: What is the source for your information? It might be of use to me for MAW5 and MAW6. Any further details on the loss?

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: Missing crew Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

Frank, (or any else)

Does your source also take up the crew lost in transit of July 24, 1942 for transit to Middle East, ship 41-11814. (98th BG).
Crashed in a desert area located near the city of Misérié, Chari-Baguirmi, west CHAD. (baaa-acro.com)
Pilot 2/Lt Robert G. McCormick
Crew of 11 including the Pilot.

In Christopher Shoes Book as mention in my first post in this thread (page 288) 41-11814 is listed as shot down, July 24, 1942.

Thanks
JohanSWE

Re: Missing crews July 24 & Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

From airforcehistoryindex: MCCORMICK, R. G.; PERKO, CLARENCE W.; LEWIS, LOU E.; BRESNEHAN, ROBERT J.; BARNES, LESLIE O.; MIWICO, JOHN; SOLTIS, FRANCIS; UELHSHEAR; WHICKS, MORRIS; GROVES, HARLKEGS; BOYD, ANDREW V.



Regards,
Leendert

Re: Missing crews July 24 & Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

July 24, 1942 loss
344th Bomb Squadron, Crew #2, from The Pyramidiers, page 28

2nd Lt Robert G McCormick, O-435964 (in post 9) (in DOD no date)
2nd Lt Clarence W Perko, O-442964 (in post 9) (in DOD no date)
2nd Lt Morris W Hicks, O-789248 (in post 9) (DOD)
2nd Lt Leslie C Barnes, O724188 (in post 9) (DOD)
T/Sgt Francis A Soltis, 13013757 (in post 9) (DOD)
Sgt Lou E Lewis, 18065142 (in post 9) (in DOD as 18063142, no date)
S/Sgt John (NMI) Wicke, 11046203 (in post 9 as Miwico) (DOD as Wicko)
Sgt Andrew V O’Boyle, 12038892 (in post 9 as Boyd) (DOD)
Pvt Robert J Bresnahan, 36220551 (in post 9) (DOD)
Capt Manuel H Shear, O-399335 (in post 9 as Uelhshear) (DOD)
M/Sgt Charles T Graves, 6665828 (in post 9 as Groves) (DOD)
The reference to (DOD) is to my copy of the DPMO personnel loss list for WW2.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: Missing crews July 24 & Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

Some more information regarding 9th August 1942 incident, I have the bail outs occurring over British held territory. By this time the Germans had pushed east to El Alamein so this would mean to the east of this line over Egypt.
Whilst the identity of the four crew who lost their lives can be traced what is less clear is the identity of the aircraft and the reason.

From "MR 203(2) Sec. 8 War Department Operational Summaries - August 1942"
"General Brereton reports that airplanes of the 98th Bombardment Group made a daylight attack on Bengazi on August 9. 67,000 pounds of bombs were dropped, and hits were obtained on two and possibly three ships, as well as on the moles. Two of our airplanes were seriously damaged by anti-aircraft fire."
From the 98th BG mission summaries one of these was 794 (41-11794) of the 344th flown by Uber and Gillette which was crash landed, the other is listed as 766 (41-11766) of the 415th flown by Francis and Zant with remarks "crew bailed out, four of crew lost". However 766 is shown as flying missions again on the 11th August with Zant and Francis and many more following this.
Looking at the mission summary for 2nd August; Rush (Col. Rush) as Command Pilot and Francis are shown as flying ship 808, however Francis and Zant are shown as flying ship 766 on the same mission. So either two pilots called Francis or confusion in the record.
808 is flown again on 4th August and the individual Sortie Report gives Col. Rush, Lt. Francis and Lt. Chapman as crew. 808 disappears from the record after this and Baugher has 41-11808 as condemned 9th August. The assumption is that 808 was the second aircraft seriously damaged by anti-aircraft fire on the Benghazi mission. In the 98th Bomb Group records what is not clear is if 808 was totally or partially abandoned, did it return to Ramat David to be written off?
In the World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel, the four crew who died are listed as DNB (died non battle) which implies that their deaths were due to misfortune bailing out or death after landing.
Interesting that MAW 2 page 302 has concluded that the aircraft involved was 41-11808 also.

Re: Missing crews July 24 & Aug 9 1942 98th BG
 

I am now able to answer some of the questions that I raised above thanks to a message sent to Washington at the time, I have repeated it in full:

INCOMING MESSAGE
From: Cairo
To: Agwar Wash DC

No: Amsme 671 August 11, 1942

Airplanes of Ninety Eighth Bombardment Group USAAFME
successfully attacked shipping and harbor facilities Bengazi
during daylight hours August nineth with six seven thousand
pounds of bombs. Intensive and accurate anti aircraft fire
encountered. For Arnold from Brereton. Direct hits on two
medium sized ships and on main central and outer moles with hits
or very near misses on one other ship. Two of our airplanes
badly hit by anti aircraft fire but succeeded in returning to
friendly territory where one crash landed with all crew safe.
Preliminary report on other airplane indicates six members
of crew made emergency parachute jump of which two had par-
achute failure and were killed the other four safe. Two mem-
bers of crew failed to bail out disabled airplane and were
killed in crash. Further details this airplane later. All
other aircraft returned.

I have not been able to trace the further details message, but will look some more.