Block's Crew


 

On February 18th 1944, 1500Z, a flight of three (3) B24's took off on a high altitude formation flight from Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona.  B-24H, 42-52756 (flown by LT Glass) took off thirty minutes late and joined the formation at 15,000 feet indicated.  This was by previous arrangement.  The formation to be adopted was a three-plane V-formation in the first element with a single plane as leader of an imaginary second element javelin down in trail.  The formation, after rendezvous at 15,000 feet indicated, climbed to 20,700 feet indicated and leveled off.  The leader of the second element, B-24H, 42-52756 lagged on the climb, and as the formation leveled off, was above the formation and considerably to the rear.  In attempting to get back in proper position, he over-ran to the top of the formation, to a point slightly above and to the left of the ship in No. 2 position.  The right wing of aircraft 42-52756 struck the left wing of aircraft 42-41159, the No. 2 ship flown by LT Block, and they both crashed to the ground.


CREW INFO
Name Rank Position First Mission Last Mission Status
Peter J. Block 2LT Pilot     Killed in training
George W. Zeller 2LT Copilot     Killed in training
Earl H. Lieberman 2LT Navigator     Killed in training
Robert J. Poett 2LT Bombardier     Killed in training
Robert H. Drummond SGT Flight Engineer     Killed in training
William R. Bassett SGT Radio Operator     Killed in training
Harvey H. Fanning SGT Gunner     Killed in training
Edward E. Chestnutt SGT Gunner     Killed in training
Robert E. Hanigan PFC Gunner     Killed in training
Robert D. Dennis SGT Gunner     Killed in training

 
Created 12/01/06 Modified 12/04/19

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