1st LT USAAF WWII
S/N O-728413 (see also 36026463)
11th BG, 42nd B Sq
Lt. Mitchell was born in 1915 to Robert H. and Opal E. Mitchell. His father was a university professor. His hometown was Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. He had two brothers, Donald S. and David K. Mitchell, and he had a sister, Marguerite Mitchell. He enlisted in the Air Corps in Chicago on April 17, 1941. His civil occupation was a clerk and he was a college graduate. He was a Navigator and a Nose Gunner. He was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters. He did not survive the crash of the 'Green Hornet' and was lost at sea in the Pacific.
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-24D #42-40519 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 yet Unknown, Passenger
The crew is listed here in the virtual cemetery for B-24D #? ‘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 records would indicate there was not an unknown person who was lost on this aircraft.
S/N O-728413 (see also 36026463)
11th BG, 42nd B Sq
Lt. Mitchell was born in 1915 to Robert H. and Opal E. Mitchell. His father was a university professor. His hometown was Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. He had two brothers, Donald S. and David K. Mitchell, and he had a sister, Marguerite Mitchell. He enlisted in the Air Corps in Chicago on April 17, 1941. His civil occupation was a clerk and he was a college graduate. He was a Navigator and a Nose Gunner. He was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters. He did not survive the crash of the 'Green Hornet' and was lost at sea in the Pacific.
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-24D #42-40519 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 yet Unknown, Passenger
The crew is listed here in the virtual cemetery for B-24D #? ‘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 records would indicate there was not an unknown person who was lost on this aircraft.
1st LT USAAF WWII
S/N O-728413 (see also 36026463)
11th BG, 42nd B Sq
Lt. Mitchell was born in 1915 to Robert H. and Opal E. Mitchell. His father was a university professor. His hometown was Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. He had two brothers, Donald S. and David K. Mitchell, and he had a sister, Marguerite Mitchell. He enlisted in the Air Corps in Chicago on April 17, 1941. His civil occupation was a clerk and he was a college graduate. He was a Navigator and a Nose Gunner. He was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters. He did not survive the crash of the 'Green Hornet' and was lost at sea in the Pacific.
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-24D #42-40519 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 yet Unknown, Passenger
The crew is listed here in the virtual cemetery for B-24D #? ‘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 records would indicate there was not an unknown person who was lost on this aircraft.
S/N O-728413 (see also 36026463)
11th BG, 42nd B Sq
Lt. Mitchell was born in 1915 to Robert H. and Opal E. Mitchell. His father was a university professor. His hometown was Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. He had two brothers, Donald S. and David K. Mitchell, and he had a sister, Marguerite Mitchell. He enlisted in the Air Corps in Chicago on April 17, 1941. His civil occupation was a clerk and he was a college graduate. He was a Navigator and a Nose Gunner. He was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters. He did not survive the crash of the 'Green Hornet' and was lost at sea in the Pacific.
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-24D #42-40519 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 yet Unknown, Passenger
The crew is listed here in the virtual cemetery for B-24D #? ‘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 records would indicate there was not an unknown person who was lost on this aircraft.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Illinois.
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