US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
Engineer Sgt. James W. Cothran KIA
Hometown: York, South Carolina
Squadron: 579th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #34652746
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. William M. Milliken KIA
Target: Bernburg Germany
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #07370
Date Lost: 7-Jul-44
Serial Number: #42-52517
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:"Bar-U"
Aircraft Name: "MODEL-T" 27th Mission
Location: 24) kilometers southwest of Magdeburg
Cause: German Fighters Crew of 9 8KIA 1POW
This first mission to Bernburg saw the 392nd suffering heavy losses once again. Fighter opposition and flak was vicious. The 392nd lost six aircraft with five aircrews MIA, but its gunners claimed 14 enemy aircraft kills.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: There were no eye-witness accounts by returning crews on the loss of this aircraft and aircrew. German Report #KU2416, Airbase Hqs, Magdeburg-East, reported the crash of this plane and the finding of (9) dead crewmen at (2) kilometers south of the village of Egein, (24) kilometers southwest of Magdeburg which occurred at 0935 hours, 7 July. The account reported the plane as 90% destroyed and the finding of (1) each copy of: a bombing mission folder~ map of Halle; aerial photo of Junkers-Bernburg Airfield; aerial photo of Ago-Oschersleben; grid map of Junkers-Bernburg; grid map of Ago-Oschersleben; bombing board; questionnaire; and pages out of a Frequency Meter Set SCR -11 AC.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: There was only (1) survivor who lived through this ordeal, Co-Pilot Lt. Darnall, who was blown literally out of the plane when it exploded while under enemy fighter attacks. His report indicated that most crew members were in their assigned positions when the plane suddenly blew up, and surmised all of them had been killed; some having been wounded during the ensuing fighter passes, and the Tail Gunner Orlando definitely killed in his turret. He related further that the Pilot Milliken and Radio Operator were standing up beside him (Darnall) and both were attempting to open the jammed bomb bay doors when the plane blew up, and he the Co-Pilot, was blown out of the forward section.
BURIAL RECORDS: The German Report above in a supplementary stated that (8) dead of this aircrew were buried in the village cemetery at Egeln on 9 July 1944. U.S. National Overseas Cemetery records show that the following crews members were re-buried in the National Cemetery of ARDENNES: Euwer (Grave-D-11-49); Love (Grave B-37-42); Cothran (Grave C-1-23); and Janes (Grave D-14-10), all members were awarded the Purple Heart. Sgt Lasater is interred at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery, Section Q Site 73 and Sgt Stella is interred at Long Island National Cemetery, Section J Site 15853. Some of the dead from Lt. Pounds' aircrew also were interred in the same village plot at Egeln, as the two Liberators had crashed almost at the same location.
The "MODEL-T" crew
1st/Lt.William M. Milliken Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert W. Darnall Co Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Charles T. Euwer Jr. Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. David C. Love Bombardier KIA
Sgt. James W. Cothran Engineer KIA
Sgt. George F. Stella Jr. Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Calvin W. Janes Gunner KIA
Sgt. Jerome R. Lasater Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Frank J. Orlando Gunner KIA
Engineer Sgt. James W. Cothran KIA
Hometown: York, South Carolina
Squadron: 579th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #34652746
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. William M. Milliken KIA
Target: Bernburg Germany
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #07370
Date Lost: 7-Jul-44
Serial Number: #42-52517
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:"Bar-U"
Aircraft Name: "MODEL-T" 27th Mission
Location: 24) kilometers southwest of Magdeburg
Cause: German Fighters Crew of 9 8KIA 1POW
This first mission to Bernburg saw the 392nd suffering heavy losses once again. Fighter opposition and flak was vicious. The 392nd lost six aircraft with five aircrews MIA, but its gunners claimed 14 enemy aircraft kills.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: There were no eye-witness accounts by returning crews on the loss of this aircraft and aircrew. German Report #KU2416, Airbase Hqs, Magdeburg-East, reported the crash of this plane and the finding of (9) dead crewmen at (2) kilometers south of the village of Egein, (24) kilometers southwest of Magdeburg which occurred at 0935 hours, 7 July. The account reported the plane as 90% destroyed and the finding of (1) each copy of: a bombing mission folder~ map of Halle; aerial photo of Junkers-Bernburg Airfield; aerial photo of Ago-Oschersleben; grid map of Junkers-Bernburg; grid map of Ago-Oschersleben; bombing board; questionnaire; and pages out of a Frequency Meter Set SCR -11 AC.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: There was only (1) survivor who lived through this ordeal, Co-Pilot Lt. Darnall, who was blown literally out of the plane when it exploded while under enemy fighter attacks. His report indicated that most crew members were in their assigned positions when the plane suddenly blew up, and surmised all of them had been killed; some having been wounded during the ensuing fighter passes, and the Tail Gunner Orlando definitely killed in his turret. He related further that the Pilot Milliken and Radio Operator were standing up beside him (Darnall) and both were attempting to open the jammed bomb bay doors when the plane blew up, and he the Co-Pilot, was blown out of the forward section.
BURIAL RECORDS: The German Report above in a supplementary stated that (8) dead of this aircrew were buried in the village cemetery at Egeln on 9 July 1944. U.S. National Overseas Cemetery records show that the following crews members were re-buried in the National Cemetery of ARDENNES: Euwer (Grave-D-11-49); Love (Grave B-37-42); Cothran (Grave C-1-23); and Janes (Grave D-14-10), all members were awarded the Purple Heart. Sgt Lasater is interred at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery, Section Q Site 73 and Sgt Stella is interred at Long Island National Cemetery, Section J Site 15853. Some of the dead from Lt. Pounds' aircrew also were interred in the same village plot at Egeln, as the two Liberators had crashed almost at the same location.
The "MODEL-T" crew
1st/Lt.William M. Milliken Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert W. Darnall Co Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Charles T. Euwer Jr. Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. David C. Love Bombardier KIA
Sgt. James W. Cothran Engineer KIA
Sgt. George F. Stella Jr. Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Calvin W. Janes Gunner KIA
Sgt. Jerome R. Lasater Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Frank J. Orlando Gunner KIA
US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
Engineer Sgt. James W. Cothran KIA
Hometown: York, South Carolina
Squadron: 579th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #34652746
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. William M. Milliken KIA
Target: Bernburg Germany
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #07370
Date Lost: 7-Jul-44
Serial Number: #42-52517
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:"Bar-U"
Aircraft Name: "MODEL-T" 27th Mission
Location: 24) kilometers southwest of Magdeburg
Cause: German Fighters Crew of 9 8KIA 1POW
This first mission to Bernburg saw the 392nd suffering heavy losses once again. Fighter opposition and flak was vicious. The 392nd lost six aircraft with five aircrews MIA, but its gunners claimed 14 enemy aircraft kills.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: There were no eye-witness accounts by returning crews on the loss of this aircraft and aircrew. German Report #KU2416, Airbase Hqs, Magdeburg-East, reported the crash of this plane and the finding of (9) dead crewmen at (2) kilometers south of the village of Egein, (24) kilometers southwest of Magdeburg which occurred at 0935 hours, 7 July. The account reported the plane as 90% destroyed and the finding of (1) each copy of: a bombing mission folder~ map of Halle; aerial photo of Junkers-Bernburg Airfield; aerial photo of Ago-Oschersleben; grid map of Junkers-Bernburg; grid map of Ago-Oschersleben; bombing board; questionnaire; and pages out of a Frequency Meter Set SCR -11 AC.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: There was only (1) survivor who lived through this ordeal, Co-Pilot Lt. Darnall, who was blown literally out of the plane when it exploded while under enemy fighter attacks. His report indicated that most crew members were in their assigned positions when the plane suddenly blew up, and surmised all of them had been killed; some having been wounded during the ensuing fighter passes, and the Tail Gunner Orlando definitely killed in his turret. He related further that the Pilot Milliken and Radio Operator were standing up beside him (Darnall) and both were attempting to open the jammed bomb bay doors when the plane blew up, and he the Co-Pilot, was blown out of the forward section.
BURIAL RECORDS: The German Report above in a supplementary stated that (8) dead of this aircrew were buried in the village cemetery at Egeln on 9 July 1944. U.S. National Overseas Cemetery records show that the following crews members were re-buried in the National Cemetery of ARDENNES: Euwer (Grave-D-11-49); Love (Grave B-37-42); Cothran (Grave C-1-23); and Janes (Grave D-14-10), all members were awarded the Purple Heart. Sgt Lasater is interred at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery, Section Q Site 73 and Sgt Stella is interred at Long Island National Cemetery, Section J Site 15853. Some of the dead from Lt. Pounds' aircrew also were interred in the same village plot at Egeln, as the two Liberators had crashed almost at the same location.
The "MODEL-T" crew
1st/Lt.William M. Milliken Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert W. Darnall Co Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Charles T. Euwer Jr. Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. David C. Love Bombardier KIA
Sgt. James W. Cothran Engineer KIA
Sgt. George F. Stella Jr. Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Calvin W. Janes Gunner KIA
Sgt. Jerome R. Lasater Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Frank J. Orlando Gunner KIA
Engineer Sgt. James W. Cothran KIA
Hometown: York, South Carolina
Squadron: 579th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #34652746
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. William M. Milliken KIA
Target: Bernburg Germany
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #07370
Date Lost: 7-Jul-44
Serial Number: #42-52517
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:"Bar-U"
Aircraft Name: "MODEL-T" 27th Mission
Location: 24) kilometers southwest of Magdeburg
Cause: German Fighters Crew of 9 8KIA 1POW
This first mission to Bernburg saw the 392nd suffering heavy losses once again. Fighter opposition and flak was vicious. The 392nd lost six aircraft with five aircrews MIA, but its gunners claimed 14 enemy aircraft kills.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: There were no eye-witness accounts by returning crews on the loss of this aircraft and aircrew. German Report #KU2416, Airbase Hqs, Magdeburg-East, reported the crash of this plane and the finding of (9) dead crewmen at (2) kilometers south of the village of Egein, (24) kilometers southwest of Magdeburg which occurred at 0935 hours, 7 July. The account reported the plane as 90% destroyed and the finding of (1) each copy of: a bombing mission folder~ map of Halle; aerial photo of Junkers-Bernburg Airfield; aerial photo of Ago-Oschersleben; grid map of Junkers-Bernburg; grid map of Ago-Oschersleben; bombing board; questionnaire; and pages out of a Frequency Meter Set SCR -11 AC.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: There was only (1) survivor who lived through this ordeal, Co-Pilot Lt. Darnall, who was blown literally out of the plane when it exploded while under enemy fighter attacks. His report indicated that most crew members were in their assigned positions when the plane suddenly blew up, and surmised all of them had been killed; some having been wounded during the ensuing fighter passes, and the Tail Gunner Orlando definitely killed in his turret. He related further that the Pilot Milliken and Radio Operator were standing up beside him (Darnall) and both were attempting to open the jammed bomb bay doors when the plane blew up, and he the Co-Pilot, was blown out of the forward section.
BURIAL RECORDS: The German Report above in a supplementary stated that (8) dead of this aircrew were buried in the village cemetery at Egeln on 9 July 1944. U.S. National Overseas Cemetery records show that the following crews members were re-buried in the National Cemetery of ARDENNES: Euwer (Grave-D-11-49); Love (Grave B-37-42); Cothran (Grave C-1-23); and Janes (Grave D-14-10), all members were awarded the Purple Heart. Sgt Lasater is interred at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery, Section Q Site 73 and Sgt Stella is interred at Long Island National Cemetery, Section J Site 15853. Some of the dead from Lt. Pounds' aircrew also were interred in the same village plot at Egeln, as the two Liberators had crashed almost at the same location.
The "MODEL-T" crew
1st/Lt.William M. Milliken Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert W. Darnall Co Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Charles T. Euwer Jr. Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. David C. Love Bombardier KIA
Sgt. James W. Cothran Engineer KIA
Sgt. George F. Stella Jr. Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Calvin W. Janes Gunner KIA
Sgt. Jerome R. Lasater Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Frank J. Orlando Gunner KIA
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from South Carolina.
Family Members
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