SSGT USAAF WWII
S/N 15100716
11th BG, 42nd BSq
SSgt McNamara was born in 1920 in Ireland to Peter McNamara and Harriett (Sweeney) McNamara, who emigrated to America on the S. S. Baltic when he was one month old. His father Peter had been a Seargent in the U.S. Army during WWI. His baby sister was Alice W McNamara. By age 10, Francis was living in an orphanage.
His hometown was in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and he enlisted in the Air Corps on March 19, 1942 at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. His occupation at that time was listed as 'Semiskilled tool sharpeners and dressers' and he completed three years of high school. He was the Tail Gunner. He initially survived the 'Green Hornet' crash, but he died after 33 days at sea.
The tail number is unknown for the 'Green Hornet', which was ditched and lost at sea on 27 May 1943 in the Pacific. This aircraft was assigned to the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. This plane was on a search and rescue mission for Pilot Clarence Corpening's B-24 that had disappeared the day before. Three initially survived the crash; the Pilot, 1st Lt. Russell Allen Phillips, Bombardier Louis Zamperini (a former 1936 Olympian runner), and Tail Gunner Francis McNamara. The crew members were~
1st Lt Russell Allen 'Phil' Phillips, Pilot, from Indiana
1st Lt Charlton H. Cupernell, CoPilot, from California
1st Lt Louis S 'Zamp' Zamperini, Bombardier
1st Lt. Robert H. Mitchell, Navigator, from Illinois
Sgt Otto Anderson from Wisconsin
Pvt Leslie A. Deane from Kansas
SSgt Frank Glassman from Illinois
SSgt Jay S. Hansen from Idaho
Cpl Michael Walsh from Pennsylvania
SSgt Francis P. McNamara, Tail Gunner, from Ohio
An 'Unidentified Enlisted Man' who is listed on the MACR as a Passenger**
The crew is listed here in the virtual cemetery for B-24D ?X-XXXXX 'Green Hornet'
McNamara died on day 33 at sea (30 June 1943). Phillips and Zamperini floated on a raft for 47 days, only to later land on an island and be taken as Japanese POWs until the end of the war. While POWs, they endured torture, lack of food and medical care, and multiple hardships.
After they were repatriated, Russell Allen Phillips married his hometown sweetheart Cecile 'Cecy' Perry, and they had two children, a boy and a girl.
Louis Zamperini met and married Cynthia Applewhite, and they had two children. He later experienced a depression and turned to drinking. His wife, Cynthia, talked him into attending a Billy Graham crusade, and Louis agreed to go with her. He made a profession of faith to follow Christ, and it changed his life, and he forgave his tormentors from his days in prison camp. He served as a role model to young boys. Louis Zamperini later carried the Olympic torch at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California and in 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The amazing tale of survival and redemption is told in Zamperini's memoir 'Devil At My Heels', and in Laura Hillenbrand's #1 bestseller 'Unbroken'.
~~~~~
**Other military recordsindicate there was not an unknown person who was lost on this aircraft.
S/N 15100716
11th BG, 42nd BSq
SSgt McNamara was born in 1920 in Ireland to Peter McNamara and Harriett (Sweeney) McNamara, who emigrated to America on the S. S. Baltic when he was one month old. His father Peter had been a Seargent in the U.S. Army during WWI. His baby sister was Alice W McNamara. By age 10, Francis was living in an orphanage.
His hometown was in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and he enlisted in the Air Corps on March 19, 1942 at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. His occupation at that time was listed as 'Semiskilled tool sharpeners and dressers' and he completed three years of high school. He was the Tail Gunner. He initially survived the 'Green Hornet' crash, but he died after 33 days at sea.
The tail number is unknown for the 'Green Hornet', which was ditched and lost at sea on 27 May 1943 in the Pacific. This aircraft was assigned to the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. This plane was on a search and rescue mission for Pilot Clarence Corpening's B-24 that had disappeared the day before. Three initially survived the crash; the Pilot, 1st Lt. Russell Allen Phillips, Bombardier Louis Zamperini (a former 1936 Olympian runner), and Tail Gunner Francis McNamara. The crew members were~
1st Lt Russell Allen 'Phil' Phillips, Pilot, from Indiana
1st Lt Charlton H. Cupernell, CoPilot, from California
1st Lt Louis S 'Zamp' Zamperini, Bombardier
1st Lt. Robert H. Mitchell, Navigator, from Illinois
Sgt Otto Anderson from Wisconsin
Pvt Leslie A. Deane from Kansas
SSgt Frank Glassman from Illinois
SSgt Jay S. Hansen from Idaho
Cpl Michael Walsh from Pennsylvania
SSgt Francis P. McNamara, Tail Gunner, from Ohio
An 'Unidentified Enlisted Man' who is listed on the MACR as a Passenger**
The crew is listed here in the virtual cemetery for B-24D ?X-XXXXX 'Green Hornet'
McNamara died on day 33 at sea (30 June 1943). Phillips and Zamperini floated on a raft for 47 days, only to later land on an island and be taken as Japanese POWs until the end of the war. While POWs, they endured torture, lack of food and medical care, and multiple hardships.
After they were repatriated, Russell Allen Phillips married his hometown sweetheart Cecile 'Cecy' Perry, and they had two children, a boy and a girl.
Louis Zamperini met and married Cynthia Applewhite, and they had two children. He later experienced a depression and turned to drinking. His wife, Cynthia, talked him into attending a Billy Graham crusade, and Louis agreed to go with her. He made a profession of faith to follow Christ, and it changed his life, and he forgave his tormentors from his days in prison camp. He served as a role model to young boys. Louis Zamperini later carried the Olympic torch at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California and in 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The amazing tale of survival and redemption is told in Zamperini's memoir 'Devil At My Heels', and in Laura Hillenbrand's #1 bestseller 'Unbroken'.
~~~~~
**Other military recordsindicate there was not an unknown person who was lost on this aircraft.
SSGT USAAF WWII
S/N 15100716
11th BG, 42nd BSq
SSgt McNamara was born in 1920 in Ireland to Peter McNamara and Harriett (Sweeney) McNamara, who emigrated to America on the S. S. Baltic when he was one month old. His father Peter had been a Seargent in the U.S. Army during WWI. His baby sister was Alice W McNamara. By age 10, Francis was living in an orphanage.
His hometown was in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and he enlisted in the Air Corps on March 19, 1942 at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. His occupation at that time was listed as 'Semiskilled tool sharpeners and dressers' and he completed three years of high school. He was the Tail Gunner. He initially survived the 'Green Hornet' crash, but he died after 33 days at sea.
The tail number is unknown for the 'Green Hornet', which was ditched and lost at sea on 27 May 1943 in the Pacific. This aircraft was assigned to the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. This plane was on a search and rescue mission for Pilot Clarence Corpening's B-24 that had disappeared the day before. Three initially survived the crash; the Pilot, 1st Lt. Russell Allen Phillips, Bombardier Louis Zamperini (a former 1936 Olympian runner), and Tail Gunner Francis McNamara. The crew members were~
1st Lt Russell Allen 'Phil' Phillips, Pilot, from Indiana
1st Lt Charlton H. Cupernell, CoPilot, from California
1st Lt Louis S 'Zamp' Zamperini, Bombardier
1st Lt. Robert H. Mitchell, Navigator, from Illinois
Sgt Otto Anderson from Wisconsin
Pvt Leslie A. Deane from Kansas
SSgt Frank Glassman from Illinois
SSgt Jay S. Hansen from Idaho
Cpl Michael Walsh from Pennsylvania
SSgt Francis P. McNamara, Tail Gunner, from Ohio
An 'Unidentified Enlisted Man' who is listed on the MACR as a Passenger**
The crew is listed here in the virtual cemetery for B-24D ?X-XXXXX 'Green Hornet'
McNamara died on day 33 at sea (30 June 1943). Phillips and Zamperini floated on a raft for 47 days, only to later land on an island and be taken as Japanese POWs until the end of the war. While POWs, they endured torture, lack of food and medical care, and multiple hardships.
After they were repatriated, Russell Allen Phillips married his hometown sweetheart Cecile 'Cecy' Perry, and they had two children, a boy and a girl.
Louis Zamperini met and married Cynthia Applewhite, and they had two children. He later experienced a depression and turned to drinking. His wife, Cynthia, talked him into attending a Billy Graham crusade, and Louis agreed to go with her. He made a profession of faith to follow Christ, and it changed his life, and he forgave his tormentors from his days in prison camp. He served as a role model to young boys. Louis Zamperini later carried the Olympic torch at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California and in 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The amazing tale of survival and redemption is told in Zamperini's memoir 'Devil At My Heels', and in Laura Hillenbrand's #1 bestseller 'Unbroken'.
~~~~~
**Other military recordsindicate there was not an unknown person who was lost on this aircraft.
S/N 15100716
11th BG, 42nd BSq
SSgt McNamara was born in 1920 in Ireland to Peter McNamara and Harriett (Sweeney) McNamara, who emigrated to America on the S. S. Baltic when he was one month old. His father Peter had been a Seargent in the U.S. Army during WWI. His baby sister was Alice W McNamara. By age 10, Francis was living in an orphanage.
His hometown was in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and he enlisted in the Air Corps on March 19, 1942 at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. His occupation at that time was listed as 'Semiskilled tool sharpeners and dressers' and he completed three years of high school. He was the Tail Gunner. He initially survived the 'Green Hornet' crash, but he died after 33 days at sea.
The tail number is unknown for the 'Green Hornet', which was ditched and lost at sea on 27 May 1943 in the Pacific. This aircraft was assigned to the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. This plane was on a search and rescue mission for Pilot Clarence Corpening's B-24 that had disappeared the day before. Three initially survived the crash; the Pilot, 1st Lt. Russell Allen Phillips, Bombardier Louis Zamperini (a former 1936 Olympian runner), and Tail Gunner Francis McNamara. The crew members were~
1st Lt Russell Allen 'Phil' Phillips, Pilot, from Indiana
1st Lt Charlton H. Cupernell, CoPilot, from California
1st Lt Louis S 'Zamp' Zamperini, Bombardier
1st Lt. Robert H. Mitchell, Navigator, from Illinois
Sgt Otto Anderson from Wisconsin
Pvt Leslie A. Deane from Kansas
SSgt Frank Glassman from Illinois
SSgt Jay S. Hansen from Idaho
Cpl Michael Walsh from Pennsylvania
SSgt Francis P. McNamara, Tail Gunner, from Ohio
An 'Unidentified Enlisted Man' who is listed on the MACR as a Passenger**
The crew is listed here in the virtual cemetery for B-24D ?X-XXXXX 'Green Hornet'
McNamara died on day 33 at sea (30 June 1943). Phillips and Zamperini floated on a raft for 47 days, only to later land on an island and be taken as Japanese POWs until the end of the war. While POWs, they endured torture, lack of food and medical care, and multiple hardships.
After they were repatriated, Russell Allen Phillips married his hometown sweetheart Cecile 'Cecy' Perry, and they had two children, a boy and a girl.
Louis Zamperini met and married Cynthia Applewhite, and they had two children. He later experienced a depression and turned to drinking. His wife, Cynthia, talked him into attending a Billy Graham crusade, and Louis agreed to go with her. He made a profession of faith to follow Christ, and it changed his life, and he forgave his tormentors from his days in prison camp. He served as a role model to young boys. Louis Zamperini later carried the Olympic torch at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California and in 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The amazing tale of survival and redemption is told in Zamperini's memoir 'Devil At My Heels', and in Laura Hillenbrand's #1 bestseller 'Unbroken'.
~~~~~
**Other military recordsindicate there was not an unknown person who was lost on this aircraft.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Ohio.
