Hiram served as a Technical Sergeant & Radio Operator / Gunner on B-24D #41-23980, 424th Bomber Squadron, 307th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Jefferson County, Alabama & was a member of the National Guard prior to the war.

The National Guard unit he was previously a member of was called into full time active Army service on August 22, 1941, prior to the war, from Camp Stewart, Hinesville, Georgia. Since he had only been out the Guard for less than three months he was called back into service with the unit. He was noted, at that time, as being employed in the photographic process and also as Single, without dependents.

B-24D #41-23980 was 1 of 6 B-24's that took off from Henderson Field, Guadalcanal Solomon Islands on a bombing mission to attack enemy ships in the Shortland Island, Western Province, Solomon Islands & Buin, Bougainville Province, Papua New Guinea area.

Over Shortland Harbor they were hit by anti-aircraft fire and exploded and crashed. The entire crew was lost in this crash.

Hiram was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Service # 20467632

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who perished on B-24D #41-23980:

Barton, Theodore ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, TX
Battersby, Hiram E ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, PA
Beaupre, Elmer J ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, IL
Boyer, Elbert H ~ Sgt, Gunner, MI
Eilts, Leo J ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, NE
Meigs, Hiram W ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, AL
Radford, George G ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, ID
Stearns, William A ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, OK
Trager, George K ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, KS

( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiram served as a Technical Sergeant & Radio Operator / Gunner on B-24D #41-23980, 424th Bomber Squadron, 307th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Jefferson County, Alabama & was a member of the National Guard prior to the war.

The National Guard unit he was previously a member of was called into full time active Army service on August 22, 1941, prior to the war, from Camp Stewart, Hinesville, Georgia. Since he had only been out the Guard for less than three months he was called back into service with the unit. He was noted, at that time, as being employed in the photographic process and also as Single, without dependents.

B-24D #41-23980 was 1 of 6 B-24's that took off from Henderson Field, Guadalcanal Solomon Islands on a bombing mission to attack enemy ships in the Shortland Island, Western Province, Solomon Islands & Buin, Bougainville Province, Papua New Guinea area.

Over Shortland Harbor they were hit by anti-aircraft fire and exploded and crashed. The entire crew was lost in this crash.

Hiram was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Service # 20467632

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who perished on B-24D #41-23980:

Barton, Theodore ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, TX
Battersby, Hiram E ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, PA
Beaupre, Elmer J ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, IL
Boyer, Elbert H ~ Sgt, Gunner, MI
Eilts, Leo J ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, NE
Meigs, Hiram W ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, AL
Radford, George G ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, ID
Stearns, William A ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, OK
Trager, George K ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, KS

( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~