Agay's B-24 Liberator, Var, France
Pilot : second lieutenant Robert V. Batz
Mission Date May 27, 1944, MACR 5413
Target Bombardment of Montpellier's airfield
Zone of crash Sea (-140ft), Agay's bay, Var, France
Plane Type B-24G-10-NT
Serial 42-78213 "Ophélia Bump"
Squadron 15th AF, 304th BW, 454th BG, 736th Squadron
Crew
Pilot S/Lt Robert V. Batz Killed
Copilot S/Lt Georges E. Erlewine Killed
Navigator S/Lt
Robert T. Bragg Killed
Bomber S/Lt James H. Logan
Radio Sgt Gene Vodopia
Waist gunner Sgt Little
Nose turret gunner Sgt Robert F. Royer Killed, USA
Dorsal turret gunner Sgt Ward O. Bowman Killed
Ball turret gunner Sgt Ramsey Killed
Tail turret gunner Sgt Peters
Saturdays May 27, 1944, the four bombers groups of the 304th Bomber-Wing 15th Air Force, took off from their bases in the south of Italy, to attack Montpellier/Fréjorgues's airfield.
Among them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in full by Flak.
Among them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in full by Flak.
4 men will succeed in jumping in parachute, and will be immediately made prisoners. The parachute of a fifth man, the nose turret gunner, will be put unfortunately in torch, while the five last members of crew will be killed, having been for various reasons, in the incapacity to evacuate the plane.
The sea will hide the bomber become now an underwater wreck until the end of august 1984, when during an exploration diving on the Agay's bay, were discovered, by 140 feet depth, its dislocated wrecks.
The team who discovered the wreks (Philippe Bres, Jean-Pierre Joncheray, its son Philippe, Bernard Mariller, Yves Moussou, Claude Pinaut and the author), was very marked by this formless mass which rested on the sandy bottom, and where also lay, an anti-Flak waistcoats, a parachute rolled up around a machine-gun having belonged to the turret of nose, shoes...
Crashed in the sea at Bay of Agay, Saint-Raphael, France.
Pilot : second lieutenant Robert V. Batz
Mission Date May 27, 1944, MACR 5413
Target Bombardment of Montpellier's airfield
Zone of crash Sea (-140ft), Agay's bay, Var, France
Plane Type B-24G-10-NT
Serial 42-78213 "Ophélia Bump"
Squadron 15th AF, 304th BW, 454th BG, 736th Squadron
Crew
Pilot S/Lt Robert V. Batz Killed
Copilot S/Lt Georges E. Erlewine Killed
Navigator S/Lt
Robert T. Bragg Killed
Bomber S/Lt James H. Logan
Radio Sgt Gene Vodopia
Waist gunner Sgt Little
Nose turret gunner Sgt Robert F. Royer Killed, USA
Dorsal turret gunner Sgt Ward O. Bowman Killed
Ball turret gunner Sgt Ramsey Killed
Tail turret gunner Sgt Peters
Saturdays May 27, 1944, the four bombers groups of the 304th Bomber-Wing 15th Air Force, took off from their bases in the south of Italy, to attack Montpellier/Fréjorgues's airfield.
Among them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in full by Flak.
Among them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in full by Flak.
4 men will succeed in jumping in parachute, and will be immediately made prisoners. The parachute of a fifth man, the nose turret gunner, will be put unfortunately in torch, while the five last members of crew will be killed, having been for various reasons, in the incapacity to evacuate the plane.
The sea will hide the bomber become now an underwater wreck until the end of august 1984, when during an exploration diving on the Agay's bay, were discovered, by 140 feet depth, its dislocated wrecks.
The team who discovered the wreks (Philippe Bres, Jean-Pierre Joncheray, its son Philippe, Bernard Mariller, Yves Moussou, Claude Pinaut and the author), was very marked by this formless mass which rested on the sandy bottom, and where also lay, an anti-Flak waistcoats, a parachute rolled up around a machine-gun having belonged to the turret of nose, shoes...
Crashed in the sea at Bay of Agay, Saint-Raphael, France.
Agay's B-24 Liberator, Var, France
Pilot : second lieutenant Robert V. Batz
Mission Date May 27, 1944, MACR 5413
Target Bombardment of Montpellier's airfield
Zone of crash Sea (-140ft), Agay's bay, Var, France
Plane Type B-24G-10-NT
Serial 42-78213 "Ophélia Bump"
Squadron 15th AF, 304th BW, 454th BG, 736th Squadron
Crew
Pilot S/Lt Robert V. Batz Killed
Copilot S/Lt Georges E. Erlewine Killed
Navigator S/Lt
Robert T. Bragg Killed
Bomber S/Lt James H. Logan
Radio Sgt Gene Vodopia
Waist gunner Sgt Little
Nose turret gunner Sgt Robert F. Royer Killed, USA
Dorsal turret gunner Sgt Ward O. Bowman Killed
Ball turret gunner Sgt Ramsey Killed
Tail turret gunner Sgt Peters
Saturdays May 27, 1944, the four bombers groups of the 304th Bomber-Wing 15th Air Force, took off from their bases in the south of Italy, to attack Montpellier/Fréjorgues's airfield.
Among them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in full by Flak.
Among them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in full by Flak.
4 men will succeed in jumping in parachute, and will be immediately made prisoners. The parachute of a fifth man, the nose turret gunner, will be put unfortunately in torch, while the five last members of crew will be killed, having been for various reasons, in the incapacity to evacuate the plane.
The sea will hide the bomber become now an underwater wreck until the end of august 1984, when during an exploration diving on the Agay's bay, were discovered, by 140 feet depth, its dislocated wrecks.
The team who discovered the wreks (Philippe Bres, Jean-Pierre Joncheray, its son Philippe, Bernard Mariller, Yves Moussou, Claude Pinaut and the author), was very marked by this formless mass which rested on the sandy bottom, and where also lay, an anti-Flak waistcoats, a parachute rolled up around a machine-gun having belonged to the turret of nose, shoes...
Crashed in the sea at Bay of Agay, Saint-Raphael, France.
Pilot : second lieutenant Robert V. Batz
Mission Date May 27, 1944, MACR 5413
Target Bombardment of Montpellier's airfield
Zone of crash Sea (-140ft), Agay's bay, Var, France
Plane Type B-24G-10-NT
Serial 42-78213 "Ophélia Bump"
Squadron 15th AF, 304th BW, 454th BG, 736th Squadron
Crew
Pilot S/Lt Robert V. Batz Killed
Copilot S/Lt Georges E. Erlewine Killed
Navigator S/Lt
Robert T. Bragg Killed
Bomber S/Lt James H. Logan
Radio Sgt Gene Vodopia
Waist gunner Sgt Little
Nose turret gunner Sgt Robert F. Royer Killed, USA
Dorsal turret gunner Sgt Ward O. Bowman Killed
Ball turret gunner Sgt Ramsey Killed
Tail turret gunner Sgt Peters
Saturdays May 27, 1944, the four bombers groups of the 304th Bomber-Wing 15th Air Force, took off from their bases in the south of Italy, to attack Montpellier/Fréjorgues's airfield.
Among them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in full by Flak.
Among them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in full by Flak.
4 men will succeed in jumping in parachute, and will be immediately made prisoners. The parachute of a fifth man, the nose turret gunner, will be put unfortunately in torch, while the five last members of crew will be killed, having been for various reasons, in the incapacity to evacuate the plane.
The sea will hide the bomber become now an underwater wreck until the end of august 1984, when during an exploration diving on the Agay's bay, were discovered, by 140 feet depth, its dislocated wrecks.
The team who discovered the wreks (Philippe Bres, Jean-Pierre Joncheray, its son Philippe, Bernard Mariller, Yves Moussou, Claude Pinaut and the author), was very marked by this formless mass which rested on the sandy bottom, and where also lay, an anti-Flak waistcoats, a parachute rolled up around a machine-gun having belonged to the turret of nose, shoes...
Crashed in the sea at Bay of Agay, Saint-Raphael, France.
Bio by: Andy
Inscription
736 BOMB SQ 454 BOMB GP/H/ OH
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Ohio.
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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1940 United States Federal Census
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1930 United States Federal Census
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U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949
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U.S., World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas
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U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
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