B-26 Skeeter crash

by , Grasset Jacques

In memory of the crash of the B-26 Martin Marauder 42-95802 and the B-26 42-95942

On August 25, 1944, at around 4:20 pm, the B-26 Martin Marauder 42-95908 T6-P Skeeter crashes without the mouth of the Trieux with eight airmen on board
The aircraft had come with 35 other B-26s to successfully bomb coastal defenses near Brest and was returning to its air base  (USAAF Station ,AAF-166 RAF Matching in Essex).
As he prepares to fly over the coast, Capt Thorn informs the other pilots that his aircraft is running out  of fuel and will attempt a  landing at Cherbourg. He leaves the formation and changes his mind. As he tries to regain his seat, he collides with B-26 42-95797 TS Ticket  piloted by 2nd Lt Rice: the Ticket's rear gunner manages to parachute out. The plane is then hit by DCA fire, over  Jersey, which kills its radio operator the Sergeant Shuer. Nevertheless Rice miraculously manages to land his plane in the English Channel, and the crew is rescued by a US Navy destroyer the USS Borum.
Heavily damaged, the Capt Thorn plane rapidly loses altitude and spins on itself. Its crew try in vain to evacuate via the nose landing gear hatch, but this is blocked. The navigator managed to parachute out of the pilot's emergency exit at an altitude of just 500 feet. He survives and helps fishermen recover the bodies of the pilot and co-pilot.
 the 1st Lt Thomas.
The S/Sergeant Meyer and the S/Sergeant  Norland are taken to Paimpol hospital, where they die. The bodies of T/Sergeant Annette and S/Sergeant Evans are recovered on September 6. 
 The body of 1st Lt Fark is recovered at Etacq, on the Isle of Jersey. Lt Calvert, sole survivor of B-26 42-95802, attends the burial of Capt Thorn and 1st Lt Thomas in Loguivy. He would die in 1976, having served in the Air Force during the Korean War.
Airmen Capt Thorn, 1st Lt Thomas, T/Sergeant Annette  and S/Sergeant Meyer rest at St James American Cemetery. The bodies of the other crew members were repatriated at the request of their families.  The crew, accustomed to flying together, had accomplished nearly sixty missions since February 1944, including one on June 6, just hours before the landings,  which was aimed at destroying the Batterie de Maisy near the Pointe du Hoc.

 ★ CAPT DAVID H. THORN - pilot 

★ 1ST LT ARTHIR L THOMAS - co-pilot 

★ 1ST LT RUSSELL J. CALVERT - navigator 

★ 1ST LT WILLIAM H PARKS - bombardier 

★ T/SGT EDWARD J. ANNETTE - radio operator/gunner 

★ S/SGT OMER L EVANS - mechanic/gunner 

★ S/SGT CARL E. NORLAND armorer/gunner 

★ S/SGT  ROY H. MEYER - mechanic/gunner 

Contribution and photo credit Jacques Grasset.

In memory of the crash of the B-26 Martin Marauder 42-95802 and the B-26 42-95942On August 25, 1944, at around 4:20 pm, the B-26 Martin Marauder 42-95908 T6-P Skeeter crashes without the mouth of the Trieux with eight airmen on boardThe aircraft had come with 35 other B-26s to successfully bomb coastal defenses near Brest and was returning to its air base (USAAF Station ,AAF-166 RAF Matching in Essex).As he prepares to fly over the coast, Capt Thorn informs the other pilots that his aircraft is running out of fuel and will attempt a landing at Cherbourg. He leaves the formation and changes his mind. As he tries to regain his seat, he collides with B-26 42-95797 TS Ticket piloted by 2nd Lt Rice: the Ticket's rear gunner manages to parachute out. The plane is then hit by DCA fire, over Jersey, which kills its radio operator the Sergeant Shuer. Nevertheless Rice miraculously manages to land his plane in the English Channel, and the crew is rescued by a US Navy destroyer the USS Borum. Heavily damaged, the Capt Thorn plane rapidly loses altitude and spins on itself. Its crew try in vain to evacuate via the nose landing gear hatch, but this is blocked. The navigator managed to parachute out of the pilot's emergency exit at an altitude of just 500 feet. He survives and helps fishermen recover the bodies of the pilot and co-pilot. the 1st Lt Thomas.The S Sergeant Meyer and the S Sergeant Norland are taken to Paimpol hospital, where they die. The bodies of T Sergeant Annette and S Sergeant Evans are recovered on September 6. The body of 1st Lt Fark is recovered at Etacq, on the Isle of Jersey. Lt Calvert, sole survivor of B-26 42-95802, attends the burial of Capt Thorn and 1st Lt Thomas in Loguivy. He would die in 1976, having served in the Air Force during the Korean War.Airmen Capt Thorn, 1st Lt Thomas, T Sergeant Annette and S Sergeant Meyer rest at St James American Cemetery. The bodies of the other crew members were repatriated at the request of their families. The crew, accustomed to flying together, had accomplished nearly sixty missions since February 1944, including one on June 6, just hours before the landings, which was aimed at destroying the Batterie de Maisy near the Pointe du Hoc. ★ CAPT DAVID H. THORN - pilot ★ 1ST LT ARTHIR L THOMAS - co-pilot ★ 1ST LT RUSSELL J. CALVERT - navigator ★ 1ST LT WILLIAM H PARKS - bombardier ★ T SGT EDWARD J. ANNETTE - radio operator gunner ★ S SGT OMER L EVANS - mechanic gunner ★ S SGT CARL E. NORLAND armorer gunner ★ S SGT ROY H. MEYER - mechanic gunner Contribution and photo credit Jacques Grasset.