Husband of Mrs Helen C Branch. Co-pilot 570th Bomb Sqn, 390th Bomb Grp. 7 x combat mission. As a 1st Lt in the tail gunner position on hi final mission, 1Lt Branch was, probably, normally the co-pilot and had been bumped from his regular seat by command pilot Lt Col Dolan. Failed to Return (FTR) Merseburg mission in B-17 44-8080; hit by flak 30-Nov-44, subsequent mid air collision with B-17 42-97407 sealed his fate. Missing Aircrew Report 11131 Killed in Action (KIA)
He was on the crew of the B-17 #44-8080 "The Saint" during a mission to bomb the oil plant at Merseburg, Germany. They were hit by flak over the target and had a mid-air collision with another B-17, #42-97407. Both planes went down in a crash.
The entire crew of ten men was killed. Six men on the other plane were killed.
He was on the crew of the B-17 #44-8080 "The Saint" during a mission to bomb the oil plant at Merseburg, Germany. They were hit by flak over the target and had a mid-air collision with another B-17, #42-97407. Both planes went down in a crash.
The entire crew of ten men was killed. Six men on the other plane were killed.
Husband of Mrs Helen C Branch. Co-pilot 570th Bomb Sqn, 390th Bomb Grp. 7 x combat mission. As a 1st Lt in the tail gunner position on hi final mission, 1Lt Branch was, probably, normally the co-pilot and had been bumped from his regular seat by command pilot Lt Col Dolan. Failed to Return (FTR) Merseburg mission in B-17 44-8080; hit by flak 30-Nov-44, subsequent mid air collision with B-17 42-97407 sealed his fate. Missing Aircrew Report 11131 Killed in Action (KIA)
He was on the crew of the B-17 #44-8080 "The Saint" during a mission to bomb the oil plant at Merseburg, Germany. They were hit by flak over the target and had a mid-air collision with another B-17, #42-97407. Both planes went down in a crash.
The entire crew of ten men was killed. Six men on the other plane were killed.
He was on the crew of the B-17 #44-8080 "The Saint" during a mission to bomb the oil plant at Merseburg, Germany. They were hit by flak over the target and had a mid-air collision with another B-17, #42-97407. Both planes went down in a crash.
The entire crew of ten men was killed. Six men on the other plane were killed.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from the District of Columbia.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
