Harold E Jefson

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Gunner/ RO, Sgt. Harold Jefson, in the B-24D, 42-40354, Snafu, while serving as RH Waist Gunner, the aircraft sustained a midair collision with the B-24D, 41-23818, Texan II, off the English coast near Selsey Bill, Sussex en route to the target at St. Nazaire, France. Both aircraft exploded and crashed into the English Channel and both crews were killed in action. 20 KIA. 16 Feb 43.



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B-24 Liberator (serial number 40-2354) nicknamed "SNAFU" of the 44th Bomb Group Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 5 Sep 1942.'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

Born

Glenn, Nebraska

Other

Commemorated

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

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.

Revisions

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Removed punctuation marks from around aircraft names, for clarity, uniformity, and readability. - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://8thairforce.com/44thbg/search/perlastname.asp

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 & 3202 B / 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 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database