Back Row: S/ Sgt. John Naul, Engineer/Tail Gunner- Philadelphia , PA.
S/Sgt.
George K.Dusang, Top Turret Gunner - New Orleans, LA.
Front Row: S/ Sgt. Everett Chrisco, Bombardier/Nose Gunner - Sage, AR.
T/Sgt.
Roscoe L. Harkey Jr., Radio Oper./Waist Gunner - Little Rock, AR
1st.
Lt. Martin P. O'Toole, Pilot - St. Petersburg, Fl.
S/Sgt. Everett (NMI) Chrisco
323rd BG, 454th BS
On a mission to the Charleroi Marshalling Yards on the 4th of April 1944, in heavy
cloud cover, the plane S/Sgt. Chrisco was flying in collided with another aircraft of the
323rd BG. The collision occurred about 7 miles offshore midway between N. Foreland and S.
Foreland, England. Two of the gunners, Greenwood and Harkey, were able to bail out, but
the rest of the crew was lost. The following information comes from MACR 3741 (Missing Air
Crew Report). Weather conditions were undercast at 7,000', CAVU above.
CREW of B-26 B25 #41-31807:
Pilot 1st/Lt. Martin P. O'Toole St. Petersburg, Fla. KIA
Bombardier S/Sgt. Everett (NMI) Chrisco Sage, Ark. KIA
Eng/gunner S/Sgt. John C. Nau Philadelphia, PA KIA
Radio/gunner S/Sgt. Roscoe L. Harkey Jr. EUS
Armor/gunner S/Sgt. Raymond K. Greenwood EUS
Observer* 1st/Lt. Raymond J. Shea Barrowsville, M. KIA
Lt. Raymond was from the 362 Fighter Group
Statement by S/Sgt. Greenwood:
"At approximately 1005, 11 April 1944, aircraft 41-31807 collided with another ship
which had not been observed prior to the collision. I was flying in the tail position of
A/C 41-31807. Upon hearing the crash I proceeded to the waist window and observed the
damaged. When the aircraft lurched into a steep dive I bailed out. During my descent I saw
the waist gunner Bailout and followed the descent of the aircraft to the water. It crashed
and sank immediately. No others were seen to leave the aircraft after it hit the
water."
Statement by S/Sgt. Harkey:
"At approximately 1005, 11 April 1944, aircraft 41-31807 collided with another ship
which had not been observed prior to the collision. I was flying in the top turret of
aircraft 41-31807. Upon hearing the crash I observed another plane (B-26) beating on the
left end of our horizontal stabilizer. I proceeded to the waist window. From this position
I observed the other aircraft, believed to be aircraft 41-3159, dive to the water and sink
immediately. No parachutes from aircraft 41-31959 were observed and no one observed at
this point of contact with the water."
Missing Aircrew
Report MACR 3741 |