Bail out in Avon Park, May 18, 1944

[Marlatt]

My father, Charles J. Marlatt, was a crew member of a B-17, which crashed on a base in Avon Park, Florida on May 18, 1944. The entire crew was forced to bail out in order to save their lives. I don't know any of their names, but I would like to know who these men were. One of the crew died when his chute failed to open. Can anyone tell me anything about this. My father has a gold pin with ruby eyes called a Caterpillar Pin. I assume that all of the others in that crew would have one of those pins, as well. One was given the pin and membership in the Caterpillar Club, by the Irvin Parachute Company. The criteria for being awarded this membership and pin was having been forced to bail out of a crashing plane in order to save one's life. A Caterpillar Club Membership card would have been issued along with the Caterpillar Pin.