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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

I served in WWII with the 12th USAAF, 319th Bombardment Group, $38th Bombardment Squadron, in the Mediterranean Sea on the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. I was a tail gunner (armorer) on a B-26 Martin Marauder (twin engine bomber) and flew combat missions over Central and Northern Italy and Southern France. The 319th BG was the only bomber group in WWII to take off and land 6 bombers abreast in formation and was called Col. Randy's (Holzapple) "Flying Circus." I flew 40 missions in the B-26 Marauder and 15 in the B-25 Mitchell for a total of 55 missions. Worst mission: 27 May 1944, we crashed on takeoff on my 4th mission-all 6 crew members escaped without serious injuries. The B-26 Marauder, "Martin's Miscarriage," burned and exploded damaging other B-26s in the dispersal area.