Date & Time:
Oct 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-23678
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hardwick - Hardwick
MSN:
473
YOM:
1941
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hardwick at 1030LT to attack the Compagnie de Fives steel plant in Lille. Over the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Templeuve-en-Pévèle, six km southeast from Lille Airport. Six crew members were killed and four others parachuted to safety. Three became PoW and one evaded.
Crew:
Cpt Alexander Simpson, pilot,
1st Lt Nicholas H. Cox, copilot,
2nd Lt Carl N. Garrott, navigator, †
S/Sgt Arthur M. Torrey, radio operator, †
T/Sgt Arthur B. Cox Jr., mechanic,
1st William A. Marsh, bomb aimer, †
Sgt James De Toris, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Stephen J. Eppolito, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Clayton C. Kammerer, air gunner, †
T/Sgt Michael Reardon, air gunner.
Crew:
Cpt Alexander Simpson, pilot,
1st Lt Nicholas H. Cox, copilot,
2nd Lt Carl N. Garrott, navigator, †
S/Sgt Arthur M. Torrey, radio operator, †
T/Sgt Arthur B. Cox Jr., mechanic,
1st William A. Marsh, bomb aimer, †
Sgt James De Toris, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Stephen J. Eppolito, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Clayton C. Kammerer, air gunner, †
T/Sgt Michael Reardon, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
