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On the group's 3rd mission LT Schuengel fell from an open bomb bay on the return flight. The bomb bay doors were stuck open, and the bombs had to be safed prior to landing. Because of the tight confines of the bomb bay, LT Schuengel was forced to remove his parachute to work on the bombs. On the morning of 20th May 1944, LT Sturgeon was making an instrument take-off on runway 07. The aircraft crashed approximately 1 mile away and to the left of the runway. There were no witnesses to the crash due to limited visibility. The visibility was 80 yds due to a heavy fog. It was determined that the aircraft did become airborne and was in a crab to the left at the time of take-off. The A/C was loaded with 12x500-lb IB bombs. Failing to gain enough altitude to clear the obstacles at the end of the runway, the A/C went through a row of tree tops. A moment later the A/C flew into the ground, exploding and burning on impact. SGT Branthoover and LT Quince are buried at Cambridge. Robert Heatherberry's last name may have been Heatherberry. Photo courtesy of Todd Woollam, grandnephew of LT Sturgeon. |
| CREW INFO | |||||
| Name | Rank | Position | First Mission | Last Mission | Status |
| Norman Sturgeon | 2nd LT | Pilot | 05/08/44 | 05/20/44 | KIA |
| Elmer W. Quince | 2nd LT | Co-pilot | 05/08/44 | 05/20/44 | KIA |
| James A. Roberts | 2nd LT | Navigator | 05/07/44 | 02/06/45 | Minor injuries |
| Cornell A. Root | 2nd LT | Bombardier | 05/20/44 | 04/21/45 | Minor injuries |
| Lawrence A. Schuengel | 2nd LT | Bombardier | 05/08/44 | 05/09/44 | KIA |
| Robert J. Leatherberry | SGT | FE/Top | 05/08/44 | 05/20/44 | Major injuries |
| John L. Barnes | SGT | Radio | 05/08/44 | 05/20/44 | KIA |
| Benjamin D. Fox | S/SGT | Waist Gunner | 05/08/44 | 05/20/44 | KIA |
| Frank Savage | S/SGT | Nose Gunner | 05/08/44 | 05/20/44 | KIA |
| James W. Branthoover | SGT | Gunner | 05/08/44 | 05/20/44 | KIA |
| Daniel H. Gianos | Gunner | not aboard 5/20 | |||
| Clifford A. Briggs | Gunner | not aboard 5/20 | |||
| Sylverster G. Bane | Gunner | not aboard 5/20 | |||
| Lawrence N. Rutter | Crew Chief | ||||
| MISSION INFO | |||||
| MISSION | DATE | NAME | ID | S/N | TYPE |
| 001 | 05/07/44 | TP | 42-52726 | B24H | |
| 002 | 05/08/44 | TP | 42-52726 | B24H | |
| 003 | 05/09/44 | TP | 42-52726 | B24H | |
| 005 | 05/20/44 | TP | 42-52726 | B24H | |
| Created 04/10/99 | Modified 12/23/16 |
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