USAAF
10th AF
7th BG
1943
via Ruth Garmong
Pilot 2nd Lt Carl F. Carpenter
(KIA)
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt William R. McCandless
(KIA)
Navigator 1st Lt Grant W. Erwin (POW, survived)
Bombardier 2ndLT Clarence H. Clyborne (POW, survived)
Engineer S/SGT Robert McCarty
(KIA)
Radio S/SGT William C. Fetterman
(KIA)
Gunner Eugene L. Moyers (KIA)
Gunner SGT Alfred L. Busby
(KIA)
Gunner SGT Malcolm W. Carter
(KIA)
Gunner SGT Paul L. Elyea
(KIA)
MIA December 1,
1943
MACR 1226
Aircraft History
The entire crew, except for the navigator, had just arrived
in India and was on its first combat mission.
Mission History
On of 50 B-24s that bombed Rangoon's
railway marshalling yards, which we did. Their escort of P-51s arrived
late. Then met enemy fire 50 miles south-west of Insein, Burma and
was engulfed in flames, and only two of the crew managed to bail out
at about 200'. The bomber crashed near Bassein, exploding as it hit.
The surviving crewmen became POWs in a Rangoon POW Camp. Clyborn died on December 31, 1943.
Recovery of Remains
After the war, five sets of remains were recovered, in a
banana groove where it crashed. Later, they were put aboard
an C-47 43-48308 which
subsequently crashed on its mission back to India, with their remains
aboard.
Ruth Garmong adds:
"I was also told that the plane was hit, and two bailed out, but only one
survived. I would sure like to
talk to anyone who may have known any of these men."
Contact
Ruth Garmong (widow of Fetterman) adds:
"My husband, Bill
Fetterman, was the radio operater was on his third mission. I know it has been many years, but I was
hoping maybe Kaufman was still around and could maybe tell me something
about the crew. I would sure like to talk to anyone who may have known
any of these men."
B-24
POW
