Cpt. George E Lyons
Captain George Lyons was a B-26 pilot with 22 missions. He was with the 344th BG 494th BS.
Have you seen the training video for the B-26?
The World War II training film was used to familiarize new pilots with the B-26 Marauder. Also see B-26 performance charts, statistics, cockpit photos, systems diagrams and much more. When Lyons and son, Chad watched this training film together he responded, “That’s better training than we got.”
He survived a crash two days before D-Day. Lost both engines just after takeoff. Was it caused by bad fuel? Perhaps, but Lyons suspected sabotage. 2nd Lt. Lyons thought someone got on the base at night and tied the landing gear to the ignition wires.
Lyon’s son, Mark hired a consultant in the UK before dad’s passing so he may have some useful information regarding the crash. The consultant did not find any record of sabotage. Bad fuel remains the leading explanation.
Lyons was sent to Pawling, N.Y. for a year, receiving skin grafts on his ear and hand.
(Spread Sheet) June 4, 1944. MACR 15760 42-95814 “Susanne” K9-T 494th Plane crashed on take-off. Bombs exploded & men killed by blast. Crashed 5 miles south-south-east of Stansted on 4/6/44, returning with flak damage from a mission to bomb the bridge at Courcelles-sur-Seine. The aircraft exploded. Salvaged the same day by the 74th Air Service Squadron.
1st Lt. John V Pikula (escaped with serious injuries), Pilot
2nd Lt. George E Lyons (survived with burns) Co-Pilot
S/Sgt. John A. Strauss (KIA), Bomb/Nav.
S/Sgt. G L Blosser (escaped with serious injuries), Radio/Gun
S/Sgt. H G Mooney (escaped with serious injuries), Eng/Gun
S/Sgt. Boyd Pauling (KIA) Tailgunner
The above map is from p421 of reel B0290: Map June 4 Mission
TARGET: VEHICULAR BRIDGE
LOCATED: COURCELLES -SUR-SEINE (40 MILES NORTH OF PARIS)
BOMB LOAD: 2 – 2000LB.
Chad Lyons Newspaper clipping from England.
2nd Lt. George Lyons Uniform Jacket
Information regarding an earlier mission on May 27, 1944 to bomb a Railway Bridge in Nantes-Gassicourt near Paris.
Note Pikula- Lyons and Crew in this formation diagram in plane K9-T
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Here is a great painting by Marek Sarba of George Lyons in his later years.
