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Old 11th January 2018, 04:46
Alex Smart Alex Smart is offline
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451st BG/726BS - MACR 7211

Hello,

On the 26th July 1944 a/c of the 451st BG/726BS bombed the Beret Oil Refinery in Albania.
On the homeward flight two aircrew of one a/c bailed out. They became Pow's.

2Lt. Roland E. Cook O-706702 from Oklahoma and Sgt. James J. McLean - 32848524 from New York both survived the war. Sadly Cook has no reference to his military service on his grave marker and McLean has only Sgt, US Army on his.

The two bailed out some 16 miles off the Albanian Coast, it was recorded that the wind direction would possibly blow them towards land. As they both became POW's this must have been the case.

The a/c Pilot was 2Lt. Maurice J. Beaucond - O-700893.
The damaged a/c was flown to an alternate airfield, it's serial number is as yet unknown.

I have looked on the 451BG website and searched through the a/c serial numbers listed for the 726BS. Aircraft assigned prior to and possibly available on the 26July1944 it seems were -
41-29580 42-95509
41-29547 42-78478(Sal 28th)
41-29242 42-78465
41-29229 42-78463
41-28955 42-78102
41-28860 42-52460
41-28760 42-52429
42-52153 42-52111
42-52082 42-52078
42-51300 42-7687
42-7636 42-7475

Is there any chance one of the above listed was the a/c involved and if so which one was it ?

Many thanks
Alex
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Old 12th January 2018, 20:28
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25Kingman49 25Kingman49 is offline
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Re: 451st BG/726BS - MACR 7211

Hi Alex,
For everyone else MACR 7211 starts here on fold3 for those with access:

https://www.fold3.com/image/28666490

Nothing concrete here but 2nd Lt Maurice John Beaucond, Jr. was shot down becoming a POW about a month later on 22 Aug 44 flying B-24H-5-FO-42-52111 (MACR 8001), see attached; source of attachment

https://docslide.com.br/documents/b-...-schiffer.html

Edit: direct PDF download here http://biblioteka.mycity-military.co...049th%20BW.pdf

MACR 8001 appears to not be available on fold3. Baugher offers the same limited data

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_3.html

This MACR 8001 would be helpful to see if it matches the crew in MACR 7211, less of course Lt Cook and Sgt McLean and their unknown replacements. According to the attached 7 of the crew were KIA. This could be backtracked to the crew during MACR 7211 to see who survived the war but still would not prove 42-52111 was the involved plane when Cook and McLean jumped.

Of little value Lt Beaucond MIA newspaper article
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1647...it_free_press/

If the 451st BG/726 BS had a strict crew to plane assignment policy 42-52111 is a likely candidate.
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Last edited by 25Kingman49; 28th July 2021 at 01:19.
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Old 12th January 2018, 22:30
HGabor HGabor is offline
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Re: 451st BG/726BS - MACR 7211

B-24H-5-FO No.'44', 42-52111, alias "Old Taylor" crashed at Magyargencs, Hungary (pron.: "Madyargench") on August 22, 1944 with the 2Lt. Maurice J. Beaucond Jr. crew.
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Old 12th January 2018, 23:01
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25Kingman49 25Kingman49 is offline
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Re: 451st BG/726BS - MACR 7211

Alex, still nothing concrete but it does appear that this MACR 7211 crew may have stayed together with 5 of this crew KIA 22 Aug 1944 when 42-52111 was shot down. Still not proof that 42-52111 was the plane from which Cook and McLean jumped but this may make it a more likely candidate.

MACR 7211 remaining crew members and fate (?)

2Lt Maurice J Beaucond, Jr., O-700893 (P) Later 22 Aug 1944 POW https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...pg=1&rid=43380

2Lt Weldon H Jeffress, O-719850 (CP) Later 22 Aug 1944 KIA https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...don-h-jeffress

2Lt Sidney S Grapey, O-719850 (N) Later KIA (date of death in error likely should be 22 Aug 1944) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...idney-s-grapey

Sgt William T Gibson, 34650016 (ETTG) enlistment https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...=1&rid=5048892 Later KIA 22 Aug 1944 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...liam-t.-gibson

Sgt Oliver H Martin, 38512700 (BTG) enlisted https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...=1&rid=7381653 No NARA POW record found. This might be our Sgt Martin https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...-holmes-martin (7 Sep 1924 to 27 Dec 1960)

Sgt Billy R Bolin, 38515825 (TG) No NARA record found. WW II Memorial, Billy Ray Bolin http://https://www.wwiimemorial.com/...oreeID=2124523 likely our Sgt Bolin https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...illy-ray-bolin

S/Sgt Willard E Smith, 37657815 (WG) enlistment https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...=1&rid=6827407 KIA 22 Aug 1944 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...illard-e-smith

S/Sgt Frank A Johnson, 37666953 (WG) enlistment https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...=1&rid=6836075 KIA 22 Aug 1944 https://www.wwiimemorial.com/Registr...oreeID=2101161 and https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...rank-a-johnson
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Old 13th January 2018, 01:59
Alex Smart Alex Smart is offline
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Re: 451st BG/726BS - MACR 7211

Hello Gabor and ScottM,

Many thanks for your combined hard work .
The Schiffer book " The 451st Bomb Group in WW2 a pictorial history" has on page 137 that the a/c had 17 hours on the airframe when received at Fairmont Field, Nebraska and 650 hours when the original crew finished their combat tour.
Can it be discovered who the "original Taylor crew " were and when the "possibly" Beaucond crew took her over ? I.e. when the Taylor crew finished their tour.

As it stands "Old Taylor" looks a strong favourite.
But I do wonder about 42-78478 salvaged a couple of days later ?

Thanks again
Alex
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