Lt. Harley Mason was a pilot in the 8th Air force, the 389th Bomb Group, and the 566th Bomb Squadron, usually flying the B-24D, named, 'Fightin' Sam' - #42-40506. After the 389th Bomb Group returned to Britain from Benghazi, Libya, the 389th Bomb Group, with Lt. Mason, his copilot, Lt. Thomas Baum, and their crew, set out on a bombing mission to Cognac, France, flying the B-24D, 'The Oklahoman' on that day, with his crew. Poor weather forced the group to return home instead. Over Nantes, the aircraft was hit a direct burst of flak and exploded. One other B-24 released bombs on the flak position. Lt. Eldon N. Colby, normally a copilot, was flying next to 'The Oklahoman' on his first mission as a command pilot, in the 'Touch Of Texas' - #42-40751. When 'The Oklahoman' exploded from the flak hit, pieces of it, hit Lt. Colby's plane and several other aircraft. 'The Oklahoman' crashed at Painbosuf, France. Lt. Mason, was the sole survivor of the lost B-24, 'THE OKLAHOMAN', from the 566th Bomb Squadron. Mason bailed out, survived, and became a POW. Dec 5, 1943. - 9 KIA / 1 POW. - MACR 2351.

Pilot - 1st Lt. Harley B. Mason, POW - Copilot 1st Lt. Thomas Baum, and crew, KIA



Awards : The Distinguished Flying Cross - The Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters - The Purple Heart.



Target Cognac, France

USAAF MACR#: 2351

Date Lost: 5-Dec-1943

Serial Number: 42-40738

Aircraft Model B-24D-90-CO

Aircraft Letter: J-



BIRTH Feb 17, 1920

DEATH Aug 17, 2002 (aged 82)

BURIAL

Meridian Cemetery

Meridian, Ada County, Idaho, USA Show Map

PLOT C

MEMORIAL ID 40989089