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B-24 Liberator
Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Lieutenant Maxwell W Sullivan of the 44th Bomb Group researched by historian Bill Beigel. The file contains copies of primary documents that discuss the return of personal effects, circumstances and causes of death, and memorialisation of the fallen airman. If you require access to the full, unedited file please contact Bill Beigel via his website, www.ww2research.com, or the AAM Team at aamwebsite@iwm.org.uk
On 27-Jan-43 B-24D 41-23776 "Spirit of 76" was on a mission to bomb the naval installation at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The pilot was unable to located the target due to weather and navigation problems. The aircraft was attacked by fighters and shot down. Aircraft crashed on the beach at Terschelling, Holland. 9KIA 1POW MACR 15459.
P 1Lt Maxwell W. Sullivan, JR. (KIA); CP 2Lt Duane E. Nelson (KIA)
N 1Lt Raymond C. Lunenfeld (KIA); B 2Lt Albert W. Glass (POW)
E/TTG SSgt Frederick W. Clark (KIA); RO MSgt Benjamin F. Duke (KIA)
AR SSgt Harry L. Ottman (KIA); LWG Sgt Thomas W. Cook, Jr. (KIA)
RWG SSgt Glen C. Pierson (KIA); TG SSgt Philip J. Bloomfield (KIA)
Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squad 10 April 1942. Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23776 'Spirit of '76' while serving as Tail Gunner. Killed in Action (KIA). Target was Wilhelmshaven, but weather conditions were poor. Plane was attacked by FW 190s,caught fire,...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
On 27-January-43 in B-24D 41-23776 'Spirit of '76' while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner the aircraft was attacked by FW-190s en-route to the target of Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft caught fire, exploded and crashed on Terschelling Island,...
Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squad 12 November 1942. Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23776 'Spirit of '76' while serving as Left Waist Gunner. Killed in Action (KIA). Target was Wilhelmshaven, but weather conditions were poor. Plane was attacked by FW 190s, caught...
Military | Master Sergeant | Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squad 3 August 1942. Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23776 'Spirit of '76' while serving as Radio Operator. Target was Wilhelmshaven, but weather conditions were poor. Plane was attacked by FW 190s, caught fire, exploded and crashed on...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squad 3 August 1942. Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23776 'Spirit of '76' while serving as Bombardier. Target was Wilhelmshaven, but weather conditions were poor. Plane was attacked by FW 190s. Glass was the only survivor of the plane,...
Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squadron 3 August 1942. On 27-January-43 in B-24D 41-23776 "Spirit of '76' while serving as Navigator his aircraft was attacked by FW-190s on its way to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft caught fire and crashed on Terschelling Island, Holland...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squad 3 August 1942. Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23776 'Spirit of '76' while serving as Co-Pilot. Killed in Action (KIA). Target was Wilhelmshaven, but weather conditions were poor. Plane was attacked by FW-190s, caught fire, exploded...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23776 'Spirit of '76' while serving as Ball Turret Gunner. Killed in Action (KIA). Target was Wilhelmshaven, but weather conditions were poor. Plane was attacked by FW 190s, caught fire, exploded and crashed on...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23776 'Spirit of '76' while serving as Right Waist Gunner. Killed in Action (KIA). Target was Wilhelmshaven, but weather conditions were poor. Plane was attacked by FW 190s, caught fire, exploded and crashed on...
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 27 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23776 'Spirit of '76' while serving as Pilot.Killed in Action (KIA). Target was Wilhelmshaven, but weather conditions were poor. Plane was attacked by FW 190s, caught on fire, exploded and crashed on Terschelling...
27 January 1943
First successful attack by 8th Air Force into Germany. The 306th Bomb Group gets the distinction of being the first American Bomb Group to drop bombs on Germany. O Original target was Vegesack but clouded over. Col. Frank Armstrong lead the group. Two...
Military site : airfield
Shipdham was built in 1941-1942, the first US heavy bomber airfield in the English county of Norfolk. It was a standard design, with T2-type hangars and a domestic site dispersed to the south east. Improvements were carried out to increase the number...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | Terschelling, Netherlands | 27 January 1943 |
|
Shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed at Terschelling, Holland. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 24 January 2015 19:51:01 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to nicknames, markings, description, events, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 24-Jan-2014. Added markings per "The Mighty Eighth Warpaint & Heraldry" Roger A. Freeman; Added FTR event and added crew position, rank, full proper name and disposition per MACR 15459; crafted Description and added nickname per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; formatted crew display. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 15459 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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