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2Lt Francis Newell Hayes

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2Lt Francis Newell Hayes Veteran

Birth
Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio, USA
Death
18 Mar 1944 (aged 27)
Cagny, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France
Burial
Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France Add to Map
Plot
Plot B Row 27 Grave 22
Memorial ID
View Source
Co Pilot 2nd/Lt. Francis N. Hayes KIA
Hometown: Wife Harriette F. Chicago, Illinois
Squadron: 576th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #O-683443
Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
Pilot 1st/Lt. John E. Feran KIA

Target: Friedrichshafen Germany
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:3324
Date Lost: 18-Mar-44
Serial Number: #41-28651
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: "C"
Aircraft Name: (NO NICKNAME) 9th Mission
Location: (5) kilometers south of Montdidier, France
Cause: mid-air collision. Crew of 10 KIA

The mission this day would see the 392nd suffer its heaviest losses, both aircraft and aircrew members, of any individual raid ever flown during its combat experience in World War II. Before the mission was completed, (14) aircraft and crews would be lost and (9) other ships damaged by fighters and flak, all totaling (154) casualties. General briefing for (28) aircrews was conducted between 0400-0530 hours.

MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: This plane and aircrew turned out to be that involved in the mid-air collision with the Dalton ship as the Group formation was enroute to target over France. (The account and the fate of this plane is related in the Dalton summary above, MACR #3320. There were no crewmember survivors of this flight crew as a result of this mishap). German Report #KU1236, 21 March 1944, at 2315 hours and sent to the (Luftwaffe) Evaluation Center - West Oberursel stated that this Liberator crashed at 1232 hours, 18 March, (1) kilometer south of the village of Doufront, (5) kilometers south of Montdidier, France, due to a mid-air collision (with another B-24, tail number 129174, which was the Dalton ship). All crewmen were found dead in this crashed aircraft. German Report #KU1237 noted that this plane also was probably carrying incendiary bombs containing liquid fuel which completely destroyed the aircraft by fire after the crash. The plane was identified with a blue "D" in a white circle and a tail number as '128651'. (Note: Montdidier is about (35) kilometers southeast of AMIENS, France).

INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: There were no survivors on this aircrew from the mid-air collision.

BURIAL RECORDS: The German Report #KU1234, as for the Dalton deceased crewmen, reflected the initial burial of all of these crewmembers in a common grave in the Cemetery Le Ployren, France, located at the eastern outskirts of this village. One 'unknown' member, noted as being identifiable by the Germans at the time, was Sgt. Dmoch. A search of U.S. National overseas Cemetery records lists the following burial information: Feran in the EPINAL, France, location (Grave B-40-22); and also the following crewmen there: Hayes (Grave B-27-22); Gallagher (Grave B-20-22); Wheeler (Grave B-30-22) and Boord (Grave A-6-11). 2/Lt Cummings, 2/Lt Greene, and T/Sgt Dmoch are interred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Sec 82 Site 38A. The following medal awards to these men were: Feran (Air Medal w/Oak Leaf Cluster); Hayes (Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart) Gallagher (no other Medal listed but the Purple Heart); Wheeler (Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal w/ (3) Oak Leaf Clusters); and Boord (Air Medal w/Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart).

The #41-28651 crew
1st/Lt. John E. Feran Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Francis N. Hayes Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Francis J. Cummings Navigator KIA
1st/Lt. Donald R. Greene Bombardier KIA
1st/Lt. Donald R. Greene Bombardier KIA
T/Sgt. Anthony J. Wolfer Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Thaddeus S. Dmoch Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. Merwin Wheeler Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Richard Gallagher Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. William R. Hampton, Jr Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Wayne M. Boord Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Wayne M. Boord Gunner KIA
Co Pilot 2nd/Lt. Francis N. Hayes KIA
Hometown: Wife Harriette F. Chicago, Illinois
Squadron: 576th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #O-683443
Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
Pilot 1st/Lt. John E. Feran KIA

Target: Friedrichshafen Germany
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:3324
Date Lost: 18-Mar-44
Serial Number: #41-28651
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: "C"
Aircraft Name: (NO NICKNAME) 9th Mission
Location: (5) kilometers south of Montdidier, France
Cause: mid-air collision. Crew of 10 KIA

The mission this day would see the 392nd suffer its heaviest losses, both aircraft and aircrew members, of any individual raid ever flown during its combat experience in World War II. Before the mission was completed, (14) aircraft and crews would be lost and (9) other ships damaged by fighters and flak, all totaling (154) casualties. General briefing for (28) aircrews was conducted between 0400-0530 hours.

MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: This plane and aircrew turned out to be that involved in the mid-air collision with the Dalton ship as the Group formation was enroute to target over France. (The account and the fate of this plane is related in the Dalton summary above, MACR #3320. There were no crewmember survivors of this flight crew as a result of this mishap). German Report #KU1236, 21 March 1944, at 2315 hours and sent to the (Luftwaffe) Evaluation Center - West Oberursel stated that this Liberator crashed at 1232 hours, 18 March, (1) kilometer south of the village of Doufront, (5) kilometers south of Montdidier, France, due to a mid-air collision (with another B-24, tail number 129174, which was the Dalton ship). All crewmen were found dead in this crashed aircraft. German Report #KU1237 noted that this plane also was probably carrying incendiary bombs containing liquid fuel which completely destroyed the aircraft by fire after the crash. The plane was identified with a blue "D" in a white circle and a tail number as '128651'. (Note: Montdidier is about (35) kilometers southeast of AMIENS, France).

INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: There were no survivors on this aircrew from the mid-air collision.

BURIAL RECORDS: The German Report #KU1234, as for the Dalton deceased crewmen, reflected the initial burial of all of these crewmembers in a common grave in the Cemetery Le Ployren, France, located at the eastern outskirts of this village. One 'unknown' member, noted as being identifiable by the Germans at the time, was Sgt. Dmoch. A search of U.S. National overseas Cemetery records lists the following burial information: Feran in the EPINAL, France, location (Grave B-40-22); and also the following crewmen there: Hayes (Grave B-27-22); Gallagher (Grave B-20-22); Wheeler (Grave B-30-22) and Boord (Grave A-6-11). 2/Lt Cummings, 2/Lt Greene, and T/Sgt Dmoch are interred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Sec 82 Site 38A. The following medal awards to these men were: Feran (Air Medal w/Oak Leaf Cluster); Hayes (Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart) Gallagher (no other Medal listed but the Purple Heart); Wheeler (Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal w/ (3) Oak Leaf Clusters); and Boord (Air Medal w/Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart).

The #41-28651 crew
1st/Lt. John E. Feran Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Francis N. Hayes Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Francis J. Cummings Navigator KIA
1st/Lt. Donald R. Greene Bombardier KIA
1st/Lt. Donald R. Greene Bombardier KIA
T/Sgt. Anthony J. Wolfer Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Thaddeus S. Dmoch Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. Merwin Wheeler Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Richard Gallagher Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. William R. Hampton, Jr Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Wayne M. Boord Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Wayne M. Boord Gunner KIA

Gravesite Details

Entered the Service from Ohio.



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