A report written after the crash from a crew member who bailed out reads as follows:
(page one missing).. "to our base in England as fellow crew members from a raid on Kassel, Germany. The ship had been severely damaged by flack. Our number one engine was shot out and the fuselage had been badly shot out. There was considerable doubt in all minds of the members of the crew as to our ability to make our base. We were flying in zero-zero weather and were unsure as to our exact position. On reaching the coast of England our pilot, Lieutenant Harris, felt that his ability to land our damaged airplane safely was highly in question and passed the word round to we crew members to bail out if we were so inclined. My friend, Sergeant Burry, decided to stay with the ship, whilst I elected to bail out, which I did. To the best of my knowledge, almost immediately after leaving the ship it crashed into a radar tower about six miles from our home base, located near Rushedon, England. All members of the crew, including Sergeant Burry were killed in the crash....."
Hershel was not born in 1904 as noted on his memorial page. This might be his father. At 40, he would have been too old to serve as an aerial gunner.
Sgt. Herschel L. McCoy was born in 1924 (as per https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/189018405/person/392459467899/facts)
Contributor: carolyn deloach (50647457)
(page one missing).. "to our base in England as fellow crew members from a raid on Kassel, Germany. The ship had been severely damaged by flack. Our number one engine was shot out and the fuselage had been badly shot out. There was considerable doubt in all minds of the members of the crew as to our ability to make our base. We were flying in zero-zero weather and were unsure as to our exact position. On reaching the coast of England our pilot, Lieutenant Harris, felt that his ability to land our damaged airplane safely was highly in question and passed the word round to we crew members to bail out if we were so inclined. My friend, Sergeant Burry, decided to stay with the ship, whilst I elected to bail out, which I did. To the best of my knowledge, almost immediately after leaving the ship it crashed into a radar tower about six miles from our home base, located near Rushedon, England. All members of the crew, including Sergeant Burry were killed in the crash....."
Hershel was not born in 1904 as noted on his memorial page. This might be his father. At 40, he would have been too old to serve as an aerial gunner.
Sgt. Herschel L. McCoy was born in 1924 (as per https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/189018405/person/392459467899/facts)
Contributor: carolyn deloach (50647457)
A report written after the crash from a crew member who bailed out reads as follows:
(page one missing).. "to our base in England as fellow crew members from a raid on Kassel, Germany. The ship had been severely damaged by flack. Our number one engine was shot out and the fuselage had been badly shot out. There was considerable doubt in all minds of the members of the crew as to our ability to make our base. We were flying in zero-zero weather and were unsure as to our exact position. On reaching the coast of England our pilot, Lieutenant Harris, felt that his ability to land our damaged airplane safely was highly in question and passed the word round to we crew members to bail out if we were so inclined. My friend, Sergeant Burry, decided to stay with the ship, whilst I elected to bail out, which I did. To the best of my knowledge, almost immediately after leaving the ship it crashed into a radar tower about six miles from our home base, located near Rushedon, England. All members of the crew, including Sergeant Burry were killed in the crash....."
Hershel was not born in 1904 as noted on his memorial page. This might be his father. At 40, he would have been too old to serve as an aerial gunner.
Sgt. Herschel L. McCoy was born in 1924 (as per https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/189018405/person/392459467899/facts)
Contributor: carolyn deloach (50647457)
(page one missing).. "to our base in England as fellow crew members from a raid on Kassel, Germany. The ship had been severely damaged by flack. Our number one engine was shot out and the fuselage had been badly shot out. There was considerable doubt in all minds of the members of the crew as to our ability to make our base. We were flying in zero-zero weather and were unsure as to our exact position. On reaching the coast of England our pilot, Lieutenant Harris, felt that his ability to land our damaged airplane safely was highly in question and passed the word round to we crew members to bail out if we were so inclined. My friend, Sergeant Burry, decided to stay with the ship, whilst I elected to bail out, which I did. To the best of my knowledge, almost immediately after leaving the ship it crashed into a radar tower about six miles from our home base, located near Rushedon, England. All members of the crew, including Sergeant Burry were killed in the crash....."
Hershel was not born in 1904 as noted on his memorial page. This might be his father. At 40, he would have been too old to serve as an aerial gunner.
Sgt. Herschel L. McCoy was born in 1924 (as per https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/189018405/person/392459467899/facts)
Contributor: carolyn deloach (50647457)
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