Francis was the bombardier on a fateful flight Sep 21, 1944 578th Sqdn, Mission #170.
CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:
P l/LT Shelley, Joe H. KIA
CP 1/LT Scarpino, Pasquale POW
N 1/LT Maroun, Nader P. POW
B l/LT Chinchilla, Francis P. KIA
R/O PFC Smith, Paul E. POW
EnG T/SGT Kane, Francis M. POW
WG S/SGT Hollenbeck, Charles E. Jr KIA
WG S/SGT Stewart, Stanley R. POW
TG PVT Childers, James E. POW
German Report KU #2998, Air Base Hqs A (9) 10/VI, reported the plane crashed at Vershoven, 10 kilometers east of Euskirchen at 1300 hours. This Bonn-Hangelar headquarters element also reported and identified all 9 crew members at or near this location. Subsequently, 3 of this aircrew were reported as dead: 1/Lt Shelley, 1/Lt Chinchilla, and S/Sgt Hollenbeck. The remaining members were reported as captured.
S/Sgt Stewart, Waist Gunner, gave a summary account on a 'Casualty Questionnaire' after the war: that he was the only one known to have been wounded in the plane prior to all members bailing out and the rest were in good physical condition at bail out time; that the Engineer, Radio Operator, himself, the other Waist Gunner and Tail Gunner all bailed out through the aft hatch while the front end crewmen bailed out as follows, in this orde: Bombardier through the nose wheel well; Pilot, Co-Pilot, and Navigator through the bomb bay doors. The Navigator reported that he was the last man out at about 300 feet altitude, and he heard the aircraft crash.
Another surviving crew member reported that Pilot 1/Lt Shelley and 1/Lt Chinchilla were killed by German civilians, but no other confirming information was given. This report also said the lead bombardier said bombs dropped too soon without intentional release followed by the rest of the first squadron were 30 miles short of target The area seen where the bombs hit was a small group of houses. It was expected that the pilot, Shelley was killed by civilians. Shelley, Chinchilla, and Hollenbeck were thought to have flown 28 or 29 missions total.
Lt Chinchilla was interred at the U.S. National Overseas Cemetery at LUXEMBOURG with awards of an Air Medal with (2) Oak Leaf Clusters in addition to the Purple Heart.
Next of kin reported as mother: Anna, 2409 Beaver Road, Cambridge, Pennsylvania.
CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:
P l/LT Shelley, Joe H. KIA
CP 1/LT Scarpino, Pasquale POW
N 1/LT Maroun, Nader P. POW
B l/LT Chinchilla, Francis P. KIA
R/O PFC Smith, Paul E. POW
EnG T/SGT Kane, Francis M. POW
WG S/SGT Hollenbeck, Charles E. Jr KIA
WG S/SGT Stewart, Stanley R. POW
TG PVT Childers, James E. POW
German Report KU #2998, Air Base Hqs A (9) 10/VI, reported the plane crashed at Vershoven, 10 kilometers east of Euskirchen at 1300 hours. This Bonn-Hangelar headquarters element also reported and identified all 9 crew members at or near this location. Subsequently, 3 of this aircrew were reported as dead: 1/Lt Shelley, 1/Lt Chinchilla, and S/Sgt Hollenbeck. The remaining members were reported as captured.
S/Sgt Stewart, Waist Gunner, gave a summary account on a 'Casualty Questionnaire' after the war: that he was the only one known to have been wounded in the plane prior to all members bailing out and the rest were in good physical condition at bail out time; that the Engineer, Radio Operator, himself, the other Waist Gunner and Tail Gunner all bailed out through the aft hatch while the front end crewmen bailed out as follows, in this orde: Bombardier through the nose wheel well; Pilot, Co-Pilot, and Navigator through the bomb bay doors. The Navigator reported that he was the last man out at about 300 feet altitude, and he heard the aircraft crash.
Another surviving crew member reported that Pilot 1/Lt Shelley and 1/Lt Chinchilla were killed by German civilians, but no other confirming information was given. This report also said the lead bombardier said bombs dropped too soon without intentional release followed by the rest of the first squadron were 30 miles short of target The area seen where the bombs hit was a small group of houses. It was expected that the pilot, Shelley was killed by civilians. Shelley, Chinchilla, and Hollenbeck were thought to have flown 28 or 29 missions total.
Lt Chinchilla was interred at the U.S. National Overseas Cemetery at LUXEMBOURG with awards of an Air Medal with (2) Oak Leaf Clusters in addition to the Purple Heart.
Next of kin reported as mother: Anna, 2409 Beaver Road, Cambridge, Pennsylvania.
Francis was the bombardier on a fateful flight Sep 21, 1944 578th Sqdn, Mission #170.
CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:
P l/LT Shelley, Joe H. KIA
CP 1/LT Scarpino, Pasquale POW
N 1/LT Maroun, Nader P. POW
B l/LT Chinchilla, Francis P. KIA
R/O PFC Smith, Paul E. POW
EnG T/SGT Kane, Francis M. POW
WG S/SGT Hollenbeck, Charles E. Jr KIA
WG S/SGT Stewart, Stanley R. POW
TG PVT Childers, James E. POW
German Report KU #2998, Air Base Hqs A (9) 10/VI, reported the plane crashed at Vershoven, 10 kilometers east of Euskirchen at 1300 hours. This Bonn-Hangelar headquarters element also reported and identified all 9 crew members at or near this location. Subsequently, 3 of this aircrew were reported as dead: 1/Lt Shelley, 1/Lt Chinchilla, and S/Sgt Hollenbeck. The remaining members were reported as captured.
S/Sgt Stewart, Waist Gunner, gave a summary account on a 'Casualty Questionnaire' after the war: that he was the only one known to have been wounded in the plane prior to all members bailing out and the rest were in good physical condition at bail out time; that the Engineer, Radio Operator, himself, the other Waist Gunner and Tail Gunner all bailed out through the aft hatch while the front end crewmen bailed out as follows, in this orde: Bombardier through the nose wheel well; Pilot, Co-Pilot, and Navigator through the bomb bay doors. The Navigator reported that he was the last man out at about 300 feet altitude, and he heard the aircraft crash.
Another surviving crew member reported that Pilot 1/Lt Shelley and 1/Lt Chinchilla were killed by German civilians, but no other confirming information was given. This report also said the lead bombardier said bombs dropped too soon without intentional release followed by the rest of the first squadron were 30 miles short of target The area seen where the bombs hit was a small group of houses. It was expected that the pilot, Shelley was killed by civilians. Shelley, Chinchilla, and Hollenbeck were thought to have flown 28 or 29 missions total.
Lt Chinchilla was interred at the U.S. National Overseas Cemetery at LUXEMBOURG with awards of an Air Medal with (2) Oak Leaf Clusters in addition to the Purple Heart.
Next of kin reported as mother: Anna, 2409 Beaver Road, Cambridge, Pennsylvania.
CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:
P l/LT Shelley, Joe H. KIA
CP 1/LT Scarpino, Pasquale POW
N 1/LT Maroun, Nader P. POW
B l/LT Chinchilla, Francis P. KIA
R/O PFC Smith, Paul E. POW
EnG T/SGT Kane, Francis M. POW
WG S/SGT Hollenbeck, Charles E. Jr KIA
WG S/SGT Stewart, Stanley R. POW
TG PVT Childers, James E. POW
German Report KU #2998, Air Base Hqs A (9) 10/VI, reported the plane crashed at Vershoven, 10 kilometers east of Euskirchen at 1300 hours. This Bonn-Hangelar headquarters element also reported and identified all 9 crew members at or near this location. Subsequently, 3 of this aircrew were reported as dead: 1/Lt Shelley, 1/Lt Chinchilla, and S/Sgt Hollenbeck. The remaining members were reported as captured.
S/Sgt Stewart, Waist Gunner, gave a summary account on a 'Casualty Questionnaire' after the war: that he was the only one known to have been wounded in the plane prior to all members bailing out and the rest were in good physical condition at bail out time; that the Engineer, Radio Operator, himself, the other Waist Gunner and Tail Gunner all bailed out through the aft hatch while the front end crewmen bailed out as follows, in this orde: Bombardier through the nose wheel well; Pilot, Co-Pilot, and Navigator through the bomb bay doors. The Navigator reported that he was the last man out at about 300 feet altitude, and he heard the aircraft crash.
Another surviving crew member reported that Pilot 1/Lt Shelley and 1/Lt Chinchilla were killed by German civilians, but no other confirming information was given. This report also said the lead bombardier said bombs dropped too soon without intentional release followed by the rest of the first squadron were 30 miles short of target The area seen where the bombs hit was a small group of houses. It was expected that the pilot, Shelley was killed by civilians. Shelley, Chinchilla, and Hollenbeck were thought to have flown 28 or 29 missions total.
Lt Chinchilla was interred at the U.S. National Overseas Cemetery at LUXEMBOURG with awards of an Air Medal with (2) Oak Leaf Clusters in addition to the Purple Heart.
Next of kin reported as mother: Anna, 2409 Beaver Road, Cambridge, Pennsylvania.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Pennsylvania. - buried next to brother.
Family Members
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