Final Flights of the 344th Bomb Group
A U.S. Army Air Forces Martin B-26G-11-MA Marauder (s/n 43-34565) from the 497th Bombardment Squadron, 344th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, enveloped in flames and hurtling earthward after enemy flak scored a direct hit on left engine while aircraft was attacking front line enemy communications center at Erkelenz, Germany. (MACR 12649)
Date 26 February 1945
.
Thanks to Paul Clouting for most of the information below
42-95913, coded Y5-H, 495th BS
Also shot down by flak on same mission as above. MACR#5144. Pilot, 1st Lt. Henry C Woodrum.
42-95922 (495th BS) coded Y5-N. Shot down by flak on the 11th May 1944 mission to Malo Les Bains coastal defences, France. MACR#4515.
42-95858, coded Y5-R, 495th BS
Shot down by flak on the 28th May 1944 mission to bomb the Maisons Laffitte Railroad bridge, across the Seine River, France. MACR#5139. Pliot, Capt. J W Seale.
42-107608, coded Y5-T, 495th BS
Also shot down by flak on same mission as above. MACR#5142, Pilot, 2nd Lt. Jack C Shewell
42-107686, coded Y5-H, 495th BS
Shot down by flak on the 9th August 1944 mission to Brest Harbour, France. MACR#7848. Pilot, 1st Lt. Raymond H Phillips
42-107855, coded Y5-W, 495th BS
Exploded in mid air, 5 miles North of Stansted on the 25th August 1944 mission to attack heavy gun positions at Fort L’Ambrique, Brest, France. Pilot, 1st L. William H Geary (killed).
42-95910 “Wizard Of Koz” (495th BS) coded Y5-F. Shot down by flak on the 22nd April 1944 mission to Siracourt V-1 launch site. MACR#4093.
42-95925 collided with 42-95981 over Theydon Mount, Epping on 8th March 1944. Both aircraft were 494th BS. These were the first losses for the group after entering combat. Both crews were killed.
42-95814 (494th BS). Crash landed at Stansted on 4th June 1944 after suffering flak damage on the mission to Courcelles-Sur-Seine, France. Written off & salvaged by the 74th Air Service Squadron.
42-95901 (496th BS) coded N3-B. Shot down by flak over Henchin, France on the 21st April 1944 mission to Bonniers, France. MACR#4073.
42-95928. Shot down by flak on the 23rd April 1944 mission to Heuringhem V-1 launch site. MACR#4094.
42-95926 “Canteen Eileen” (496th BS). Shot down by flak on the 27th April 1944 mission to Fort Mardick coastal defences, France. MACR#4144.
42-95893 “Piccadilly Commando” (496th BS) coded N3-J. Shot down on same mission as 42-95926. MACR#4145.
42-95856 “Fertile Mertile” (497th BS) coded 7I-A. Shot down by flak on the 10th May 1944 mission to Mons marshalling yards, Belgium. MACR#4511.
42-95895, coded N3-O, 496th BS
Also shot down by flak on same mission as above. MACR#5143. Pilot, 2nd Lt. P J Laux.
42-95920, named “Smilin’ Joy”, coded 7I-G, 497th BS. Shot down by flak on the 28th May 1944 mission to the Amiens Marshalling Yards. MACR# 5140. Pilot, 1st Lt. Jim F Reynolds (killed); Co-pilot, Lt. Joseph Johnson (bailed out and evaded capture).
42-107574, 496th BS. Shot down by flak on the 10th June 1944 mission to Valognes, France. MACR#5708. Pilot, 2nd Lt. Herman L Burdette.
42-96304, 496th BS. Suffered a landing accident at Steeple Mordon Airfield on 8th July 1944 flown by Joseph S Danner. Aircraft written off. Salvaged on 10th July 1944.
41-35755, 494th BS. Crash landed at RAF Dyce, Aberdeen, Scotland on 23rd July 1944 whilst flown by Frank A Williams. ircraft written off. Salvaged on 25th July 1944 by engineers from the 42nd Air Service Group.
42-95964, coded K9-G, 494th BS. Shot down by flak on the 24th July 1944 mission to bomb the Tours-Le Riche Railroad Bridge, France. MACR#7478. Pilot, 2nd Lt. Robert V Coulter.
42-107611, 494th BS
Lost an engine on take off from Stansted on 12th August 1944 and belly landed at RAF Sawbridgeworth. Pilot, John D Ashford. Aircraft written off and salvaged on 15th August 1944 by the 74th Air Service Group.
42-107619, 494th BS
Shot down by flak on the 23rd September 1944 mission to Venlo Marshalling Yards, Holland. MACR#9734. Pilot, 1st Lt. John B Comstock (killed)
42-107679, coded K9-M, 494th BS.
Shot down by flak on the same mission as above. MACR#9735. Pilot, 1st Lt. Carson W Carrington.
43-34406, named “Ill Wind II”, 496th BS
Shot down by flak on the same mission as above. MACR#9733. Pilot, 1st Lt. John B Hegg (bailed out)
43-34403, coded 7I-K, 497th BS
No info on this one.
