David Reece Cartmill
Military ROLL OF HONOURTechnical Sergeant David Reece Cartmill (1920-1943) of Portland, Oregon enlisted in the US Army Air Forces in March 1942 and was assigned to the 548th Bomb Squadron, 385th Bomb Group. He arrived with the unit at at Great Ashfield, Suffolk in June 1943, and served as a flight engineer and top turret gunner on B-17 Flying Fortresses.
Cartmill was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 3 November 1943 for shooting down two enemy aircraft in the course of 15 combat missions. Cartmill was killed in action ten days later on his 18th combat mission on 13 November 1943. On route to Bremen, Cartmill's B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30717) nicknamed 'Man O'War' suffered a mid-air-collision with another B-17 and descended into a flat spin before exploding, one of the surviving members of his crew reported 'Sgt Cartmill never had time to leave his position before the aircraft exploded.'
News of Cartmill's award of the DFC reached his family in late November 1943, at the same time they learned he was missing in action. Cartmill was posthumously awarded the Silver Star on 13 January 1944, though his family never received the decoration.
Cartmill's effects were donated to IWM by his brother Fred (1925-2006) in 1999, Fred served with the US Navy 1943-1946.
Awards: SS, DFC, AM (OLC), PH.
Connections
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Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13049897
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-677866
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
Places
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Chicago, IL | 27 June 1920 | Son of David Morton and Theresa Marie 'Tressey' [Kraemer] Cartmill. |
Enlisted |
Presidio Of Monterey, CA | 12 March 1942 | Presidio Of Monterey, California |
Died |
Oldenburg | 13 November 1943 | Failed to Return (FTR) Bremen in B-17 42-30717 'Man O War' 13-Nov-43; mid air collision Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 1402 |
Portland, Oregon | |||
Buried |
River View Cemetery Portland, Multnomah County, OR | River View Cemetery Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon | |
Based |
Great Ashfield | 13 November 1943 | Assigned to 548BS, 385BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Press clippings and information provided by Frederick J Cartmill from IWM object file for Reece Cartmill's collection
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1402 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database