Crash B 24 50054 Liberator
On January 16, 1943, near the hamlet of Ferrières, the American bomber:
B 24 50054 Liberatorof the 458th bomb group, 755th bomb squadron of the 8 th U.S Army Air Force
severely hit by German flak, over Magdeburg its crew managed the feat of mastering its sinking aircraft and reaching our liberated homeland. Having run out of fuel, the aircraft was ordered to evacuate over Fontenailles.
Two gunners did not survive their landing.
The crew:
★Lt John W. MORAN Pilot and Chief Officer
★Major PHILLIPS Pilot
★Major VACEK Bomber
★Lt TRASKIN ler Navigator
★Lt Franck ADAMS Sd Navigator
★Sgt ct ARMSTRONG Radar Operator
★Sgt cf Clifford VAN NESS Radio
★Sgt cf Theodoro URBANO Mechanic
★Sgt cf Maurice L.WATSON Machine gunner
★Sgt cf Richard B. SMITH Machine Gunner
★Sgt cf Harold JONES Machine Gunner
Master Sergeants SMITH and JONES gave their lives in defense of our FREEDOM and the fight against Nazism LET US NOT FORGET THEM...!
Photo credit Benoît Prieur
