His remains were recovered in 2003 and identified in 2009.
Hometown: Colma, California)
Squadron: 576th BS 392nd Bomb Group
Service # 19140409
Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop MIA/KIA
Target: Berlin
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR:#04446
Date Lost: 29-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-110105
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: "T-Bar"
Aircraft Name:(NO NICKNAME) 10th Mission
Location:
Cause: enemy fighter 10MIA/KIA
The Group losses on this raid would be the second heaviest ever encountered in its combat history in terms of men killed and planes lost-next only to those suffered at Friedrichshafen on 18 March 1944. On this mission, (18) aircrews were briefed between 0400-0430 hours with the 577th and Lieutenant Rapenport as Bombardier leading. Crews began take-offs at 0725 on what was to be a mission encounter of grave misfortunes due to heavy enemy fighter opposition and flak. Before the target, an estimated 50 single engine fighters hit the group, consisting of FW-190 and ME-109 aircraft, attacking in double line-abreast and making a level pass through the Group's formation.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: The only returning crew eyewitness report stated briefly that this plane was seen peeling off after the enemy fighter attacks with the right elevator appearing to be badly shot up, and that no chutes were seen. There were no additional reports on the loss of this aircrew and ship in the MACR.
German witnesses remember seeing the dogfight between the fighters and the bombers, and then this B-24 spiraling down toward the horse pasture below. They confirmed that everyone was killed in the crash. About an hour after the impact, a bomb exploded in the wreckage, destroying much of what remained of the plane and sending debris far and wide.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: None. All crew men perished in this aircraft loss. No German reports exist on this crew as well.
BURIAL RECORDS: No German reports of crew member recoveries exist in the MACR. One member, Lt. Digman, was ultimately recovered by U.S. teams subsequently and he is interred in the U.S. overseas National Cemetery of ARDENNES in Grave B-34-52 and a Purple Heart citation was awarded. All remaining crew men are recorded on the WALL OF THE MISSING at the MARGRATEN National Cemetery with the exception of Sgt Blong. No record exists as to his remembrances-of-record. All other missing members are recorded as receiving the Air Medal and Purple Heart.
German forces removed the remains of three crewmen from the site and buried them in a cemetery in Hannover.
In 1946, The U.S. Army's Graves Registration Command located the remains of the men buried in Hannover and reburied them at the U.S. Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, after confirming the identities of two of the three (Digman & Blong).
According to a POW/Missing Personnel Office news release, German forces buried the remains of three of the men from that plane around the time of the crash. In 1946, those remains were exhumed and reburied in a U.S. military ceremony in Belgium. A German citizen in 2003 located the crash site and recovered human remains. In 2005, an American recovery team excavated the sight and gathered additional remains, military equipment and metal identification tags for four of the crew members. The team completed the excavation in 2007 and found additional evidence that helped confirm the crew's identity. Forensic identification tools and other evidence were used to identify the remains which were interred at Arlington National Cemetery 2011.
(Source:DOD)
Crew of #42-110105
2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur W. Luce Co Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur W. Luce Co Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Donald W. Hess Navigator MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Donald W. Hess Navigator MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Thomas Digman Jr. Bombardier MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. James T. Blong Engineer MIA/KIA
Sgt. James T. Blong Engineer MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Joseph J. Karaso Radio Op. MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Joseph J. Karaso Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo A. Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo A. Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo A. Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. John J. Harringer Jr. Gunner MIA/KIA
Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle Gunner MIA/KIA
Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle Gunner MIA/KIA
Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald Gunner MIA/KIA
His remains were recovered in 2003 and identified in 2009.
Hometown: Colma, California)
Squadron: 576th BS 392nd Bomb Group
Service # 19140409
Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop MIA/KIA
Target: Berlin
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR:#04446
Date Lost: 29-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-110105
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: "T-Bar"
Aircraft Name:(NO NICKNAME) 10th Mission
Location:
Cause: enemy fighter 10MIA/KIA
The Group losses on this raid would be the second heaviest ever encountered in its combat history in terms of men killed and planes lost-next only to those suffered at Friedrichshafen on 18 March 1944. On this mission, (18) aircrews were briefed between 0400-0430 hours with the 577th and Lieutenant Rapenport as Bombardier leading. Crews began take-offs at 0725 on what was to be a mission encounter of grave misfortunes due to heavy enemy fighter opposition and flak. Before the target, an estimated 50 single engine fighters hit the group, consisting of FW-190 and ME-109 aircraft, attacking in double line-abreast and making a level pass through the Group's formation.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: The only returning crew eyewitness report stated briefly that this plane was seen peeling off after the enemy fighter attacks with the right elevator appearing to be badly shot up, and that no chutes were seen. There were no additional reports on the loss of this aircrew and ship in the MACR.
German witnesses remember seeing the dogfight between the fighters and the bombers, and then this B-24 spiraling down toward the horse pasture below. They confirmed that everyone was killed in the crash. About an hour after the impact, a bomb exploded in the wreckage, destroying much of what remained of the plane and sending debris far and wide.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: None. All crew men perished in this aircraft loss. No German reports exist on this crew as well.
BURIAL RECORDS: No German reports of crew member recoveries exist in the MACR. One member, Lt. Digman, was ultimately recovered by U.S. teams subsequently and he is interred in the U.S. overseas National Cemetery of ARDENNES in Grave B-34-52 and a Purple Heart citation was awarded. All remaining crew men are recorded on the WALL OF THE MISSING at the MARGRATEN National Cemetery with the exception of Sgt Blong. No record exists as to his remembrances-of-record. All other missing members are recorded as receiving the Air Medal and Purple Heart.
German forces removed the remains of three crewmen from the site and buried them in a cemetery in Hannover.
In 1946, The U.S. Army's Graves Registration Command located the remains of the men buried in Hannover and reburied them at the U.S. Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, after confirming the identities of two of the three (Digman & Blong).
According to a POW/Missing Personnel Office news release, German forces buried the remains of three of the men from that plane around the time of the crash. In 1946, those remains were exhumed and reburied in a U.S. military ceremony in Belgium. A German citizen in 2003 located the crash site and recovered human remains. In 2005, an American recovery team excavated the sight and gathered additional remains, military equipment and metal identification tags for four of the crew members. The team completed the excavation in 2007 and found additional evidence that helped confirm the crew's identity. Forensic identification tools and other evidence were used to identify the remains which were interred at Arlington National Cemetery 2011.
(Source:DOD)
Crew of #42-110105
2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur W. Luce Co Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur W. Luce Co Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Donald W. Hess Navigator MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Donald W. Hess Navigator MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Thomas Digman Jr. Bombardier MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. James T. Blong Engineer MIA/KIA
Sgt. James T. Blong Engineer MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Joseph J. Karaso Radio Op. MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Joseph J. Karaso Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo A. Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo A. Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo A. Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. John J. Harringer Jr. Gunner MIA/KIA
Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle Gunner MIA/KIA
Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle Gunner MIA/KIA
Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald Gunner MIA/KIA
Inscription
SGT, US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
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