Harold L Aswell

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

TSgt. Harold Aswell was assigned as the Radio Operator in the B-24D, 42-40354, Snafu. He was killed in action (KIA) when his airplane sustained a mid-air collision with the B-24D, 41-23818, Texan II, also in his 44th Bomb Group, and the 67th Bomb Squadron. Both planes came apart after the collision, caught on fire, exploded, and fell through a force of B-17s below them, finally crashing into the English Channel, off the English coast near Selsey Bill, Sussex, en-route to the target at St. Nazaire, France. The crews of both B-24s were killed in action. 10 KIA. 16 February 1943



TSgt Harold Aswell's Awards : Air Medal - Purple Heart

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95260) nicknamed "Lili Marlene" of the 66th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group flies in formation with two comrades. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-24 H & B-24 J OF 44th B.G. 66th Sqdn'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

B-24 Liberator (serial number 40-2354) nicknamed "SNAFU" of the 44th Bomb Group Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 5 Sep 1942.' [stamp] and '219925.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse however this has been removed.
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Snafu
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Selsey Bill, Selsey, Chichester, West Sussex PO20, UK 16 February 1943 Killed when aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with another B-24, exploded and crashed into the English Channel en-route to the target at St. Nazaire, France. His remains have never been recovered.

Born

Dounsvlle, Louisiana

Other

Commemorated

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Madingley Road, Coton, Cambridgeshire CB23 7PH, UK Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery.

Revisions

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 42-40354 - Snafu

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5095 / MACR 5095 & 3202 B / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 10-Jun-2015. Correcting typo in Summary Biography.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Feb-2015. Confirmed SN and added KIA event per MACR 5095; Added decorations and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; Corrected Unit connection, made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added crew position and loss details to Biography per "Losses of the 8th & 9th AIr Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5095, Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 79, 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Lundy p. 50, The 44th BG in WWII by MacKay and Adams Appendix 4., ABMC web site