41-28690 Missouri Sue
Assigned to 482nd BG, 389th BG, 66BS, 44th BG, 8AF USAAF. Lead ship on 5-Jun-44 mission to Boulogne-Sur-Mer, despite orders to the contrary, led formation back over the target after the bomb release failed during the critical point of the initial pass. Hit by multiple flak hits, leaving the pilot Capt Louis A Mazure dead and other crew members injured, with hung up bombs and leaking fuel the engines were shut down and a glide to blighty established. The co pilot assisted by a severely wounded Colonel Leon R Vance managed to get the aircraft over the coast of England so the crew could bale out. Colonel Vance remained aboard alone, mistakenly believing a fatally wounded crew member was still on board and ditched off Broadstairs, Kent. The A/C then exploded, ejecting Colonel Vance, who managed to swim ashore. 1 x KIA, 3 x WIA, 3 x RTD injured, 7 x RTD.
Connections
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Units served with

- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment

- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment

- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator, Radar, Radar Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 458th Bomb Group 466th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron 754th Bomb Squadron 784th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 0692777
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Places

- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
Missions

- Date: 5 June 1944
- Official Description:
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Crashed |
English Channel off Broadstairs, UK | 5 June 1944 | It ditched off Broadstairs, Kent, after leading 489BG on 5-Jun-44. |
Manufactured |
Tulsa, OK, USA | Built at Douglas for Consolidated. | |
Delivered |
Oklahoma, USA | Delivered to USAAF. | |
Other Transferred |
Shipdham, UK | Transferred to 66BS, 44th BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
http://www.b24bestweb.com/missouribelle.htm
Mission to Berlin: The American Airmen Who Struck the Heart of Hitler's Reich by Robert F Dorr.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Mazure&GSfn=Louis…;
pilots log