In Memoriam

The following members of the 79th Fighter Group were killed or missing while with the group

DATERANKNAMEGROUP/SQUADRONSTATUSDESCRIPTION
6 Nov. 42Lt. Col. Peter McGoldrick79th FGKIA strafing motor convoy near Charing Cross, Egypt
10 Dec. 42Lt. Robert Guillebeau86th FS. KIA after encounter with enemy aircraft near El Agheila, Libya
16 Jan. 43CaptRaymond Palermo85th FS. KIFAKilled in mid-air collision near Hamuriet, Tunisia
21 March 43Lt. Melvin K. Davis85th FS. MIAafter encounter with enemy aircraft near Mareth, Tunisia
29 March 43CaptKenneth Boggs79th FGKIAafter encounter with enemy aircraft near Mahares, Tunisia
2 April 43Lt. Ed McDonnell87th FS. MIAafter encounter with enemy aircraft near Wadi Akarit, Tunisia
6 April 43Lt. George Harris86th FS. MIA strafing near Achichina, Tunisia
6 April 43Lt. Donald McKay86th FS. MIA strafing near Achichina, Tunisia
6 April 43Lt. Ober Leatherman86th FS. KIA strafing near Achichina, Tunisia
8 April 43Lt. Ralph Lind85th FS. KIA strafing near Messouna, Tunisia
21 April 43Lt.John R. Anderson85th FS. MIAafter encounter with enemy aircraft off Cape Bon, Tunisia
22 April 43 FOChester Janicki87th FS. KIFAduring gunnery practice near Hani, Tunisia
30 April 43Lt. Perry Bailey86th FS. MIAafter mid-air collision over Gulf of Tunis
30 April 43Lt. William Hansen86th FS. MIAafter mid-air collision over Gulf of Tunis
16 July 43Lt. Charles Lowndes86th FS. KIFAnear Causeway LG, Tunisia
31 July. 43Lt. Frank E. Newton86th FS. MIAdive-bombing shipping in Messina Strait
3 Aug. 43Lt. Daniel H. Mayer86th FS. KIAstrafing near Randazzo, Sicily
3 Aug. 43Lt.Farrel E. Yocum85th FS. KIAstrafing near Mt. Etna, Sicily
11 Sept. 43Lt.Carl L. Simpson85th FSKIFAKilled in landing accident at Palagonia LG, Sicily
26 Sept. 43Lt. Whitman R. Smith86th FS. MIAon armed recce near Avellino, Italy
6 Oct. 43Lt. Henry P. Steele86th FS. KIA strafing near Termoli, Italy
2 Dec. 43Lt. Ernest H. Kellerman85th FS. KIA strafing near Ancona, Italy
8 Dec. 43Lt. Charles Kehr86th FS. KIA bombing near Orsogna, Italy
12 Dec. 43Lt. Burke Allen87th FS. MIA bombing and strafing near Chieti, Italy
18 Dec. 43Lt. Ralph C. Specht87th FS. KIA bombing near Orsogna, Italy
18 Dec. 43Lt. Wendell Simmons87th FS. KIA bombing near Orsogna, Italy
18 Dec. 43Lt. William B. Marshall85th FS. MIA bombing near Orsogna, Italy
30 Dec. 43Lt. William A. Martin85th FS. KIA strafing near mouth of Sangro River, Italy
2 Jan. 44Lt. George R. Greer86th FS. MIA bombing and strafing near St. Benedento, Italy
9 Jan. 44Lt. Lawrence Varner85th FS. KIA strafing near Pescocostanzo, Italy
10 Jan. 44Lt. Richard Wiener87th FS. MIAstrafing near Pescocostanzo, Italy
17 Feb. 44Lt. Paul Hartman87th FS. KIA strafing near Anzio beachhead, Italy
18 Feb. 44Lt. Albert R. Mace86th FS. KIA bombing and strafing near Anzio beachhead, Italy
11 March 44Lt. Ray Higgins85th FS. KIFAKilled in P-47 transition flight near Naples, Italy
11 March 44FOVincent Wall86th FS. KIFAKilled in landing accident at Venosa, Italy
24 March 44Lt. Ward T. Pringle85th FS. MIAafter encounter with enemy aircraft near Orvieto, Italy
26 March 44Lt. Herbert Anderson87th FS. KIAon patrol over Anzio beachhead, Italy
28 March 44Lt. William H. Rueschhoff87th FS. KIFAKilled in landing accident at Capodichino airfield, Italy
31 March 44Lt. Charles W. DeFoor, Jr.85th FS. KIAnear Anzio beachhead, Italy
6 April 44Lt. Robert Paul87th FS. MIAduring routine patrol near Anzio beachhead, Italy
18 April 44Lt. Donald W. Mulkey86th FS. KIAdive-bombing near Lake Bolsena, Italy
21 April 44Lt. Berking T. Edds87th FS. KIAon P-47 transition flight near Naples, Italy
21 April 44Lt. James Scofield85th FS. KIFAKilled landing with hung bomb at Capodichino airfield, Italy
9 May 44Lt. Maurice Wilson86th FS. KIFAKilled in attempted emergency landing, Italy
10 May 44Lt. Frank J. Seres86th FS. KIAbombing and strafing near Rome, Italy
13 May 44Lt. Donald Richer86th FS. KIAbombing near Cassino, Italy
13 May 44Lt.Michael J. Slater86th FS.KIAafter encounter with enemy aircraft near Cassino, Italy
16 May 44Lt. Louis Rouleau86th FS. KIFAKilled while slow-timing P-47 near Marigliano, Italy
17 May 44Lt. Raymond Ermis87th FS. KIAbombing near Rome, Italy
23 May 44Lt. Robert Biting87th FS. KIAin mid-air collision over Italy
24 May 44Lt. Charles P. Logel87th FS. KIAbombing north of Rome, Italy
25 May 44Lt. Robert Swenson87th FS. MIAbombing near Viterbo, Italy
25 May 44Lt. Garth Thornton87th FS. MIAbombing near Viterbo, Italy
9 June 44Lt. Stuart Bartlett86th FS. KIAstrafing near Foligno, Italy
8 June 44Lt. John Winslow87th FS. MIAbombing near Orvieto, Italy
10 June 44Lt. Damon Adkins87th FS. KIAstrafing north of Rome, Italy
13 June 44Lt. William Pritchard87th FS. KIFAKilled in takeoff accident, Serragia Airdrome, Corsica
13 June 44Lt. David Moss87th FS. KIFAKilled landing with hung bomb at Alto Airdrome, Corsica
26 June 44Lt. John H. Bothe86th FS. KIAafter encounter with enemy aircraft near Imola, Italy
11 July 44Lt. Sam Rospo86th FS. KIFACorsica
13 July 44Lt. Robert Patin86th FS. KIFACorsica
26 July 44Lt. George Vaccaro87th FS. KIAstrafing Valence Airdrome, southern France
1 Aug. 44Lt. Noel Sonnichsen87th FS. MIAbombing and strafing Villafranca Airdrome at Verona, Italy
2 Aug. 44Lt. Vincent Millican85th FS. KIAstrafing Bergamo-Seriate Airdrome, Italy
3 Aug. 44Lt. James Green85th FS. KIAbombing and strafing near Verona, Italy
5 Aug. 44Lt. George W. Beers85th FS. KIFAKilled in takeoff accident at Serragia Airdrome, Corsica
13 Aug. 44FOHerbert H. Woerpel87th FS. KIAstrafing La Jasse Airdrome, southern France
13 Aug. 44Lt.Robert H. Williams85th FS. KIAstrafing La Jasse Airdrome, southern France
15 Aug. 44Lt. James P. Williams87th FS. KIAbombing and strafing near Cannes, France
16 Aug. 44Lt. William Ramsdell85th FS. KIFAKilled in takeoff accident at Serragia Airdrome, Corsica
25 Aug. 44Lt. Harry Mitchell85th FS. KIFAKilled in landing accident at Serragia Airdrome, Corsica
28 Aug. 44FORussell Jennings87th FS. KIAstrafing near Montelimar, France
28 Aug. 44Lt.Percy Brown86th FS.MIAstrafing, southern France
11 Sept. 44Lt. Jack Fortune86th FS. KIFAKilled in landing accident at Valence, France
11 Sept. 44Lt. John Winschell86th FS. KIFAKilled in landing accident at Valence, France
28 Sept. 44Lt. Marion Zipperer86th FS. KIAon weather recce near Belfort, France
9 Oct. 44Lt. James Menifee86th FS. KIAbombing near Rimini, Italy
9 Oct. 44Lt. Robert Stahl86th FS. KIAbombing near Rimini, Italy
12 Oct. 44Capt.Gordon Bell87th FS. KIFAKilled in landing accident at Jesi, Italy
31 Oct. 44Capt.Keith Croskery87th FS. KIAstrafing and rocketing near Venice, Italy
6 Nov. 44Lt. William Peters86th FS. KIFAKilled in takeoff accident at Jesi, Italy
9 Nov. 44Lt. James Anderson86th FS. KIAstrafing and rocketing near Forli, Italy
17 Dec. 44S/Sgt.Gerald V. Ervin86th FS. KIFAKilled when P-51 crashed in squadron dispersal area at Fano, Italy
31 Dec. 44Lt. Richard Gorsuch87th FS. MIAover Italy
4 Jan. 45Lt. William Harding85th FS. KIArocketing rail traffic near Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
4 Jan. 45Lt. Harry Bartley87th FS.KIAbombing bridge near Stenghella, Italy
11 Jan. 45Lt. Archibald McIlwaine85th FS.KIFAKilled in takeoff accident at Fano, Italy
21 Jan. 45Lt. Robert Hewitt86th FS.KIAunknown reason near Bodres, Italy
27 Jan. 45Lt. James F. Hannon86th FS.KIAbombing railroad tracks near Giorgio, Italy
8 Feb. 45Lt. George E. Keppler85th FS.KIAnear Casarsa, Italy
9 Feb. 45Lt. Richard Ascenzi86th FS.MIAover Adriatic Sea
20 Feb. 45Lt. Irvin Hoerr86th FS.MIAbombing bridge near Casarsa, Italy
24 Feb. 45Lt. Arthur Burnap86th FS.KIAbombing bridge near Rovigo, Italy
24 Feb. 45Lt. Thomas O’Brien86th FS.KIArocketing barges on Piave River, Italy
5 March 45Lt. Albert Mathias87th FS.MIArocketing train near Jesenice, Yugoslavia
18 March 45Lt. Clarence E. Paff85th FS.MIAstrafing Campoformido Airdrome at Udine, Italy
22 March 45Lt. Morrison Loftiss87th FS.KIFAKilled when frag cluster exploded during takeoff at Fano, Italy
24 March 45Lt. Robert S. Robinette85th FS.KIAin takeoff accident at Cesenatico, Italy
2 April 45Lt. Warren Bostick87th FS.MIAstrafing train in Austria
9 April 45Lt. James McHenry85th FS.KIArocketing fortified house near Ravenna, Italy
21 April 45Lt. Loren E. Hintz86th FS.KIAbombing near Budrio, Italy
22 April 45Lt.Glenn W. Faulkner85th FS.MIAbombing and strafing near Tabellano, Italy
24 April 45Capt.Arthur Halfpaff87th FS.KIAbombing and strafing over Adigo River, Italy
12 May 45Lt. James W. Fanning87th FS.KIFAcrashed during simulated bomb run, Cesenatico, Italy
24 Oct. 45F/OGeorge D. Shields85th FS.KIFAKilled in landing accident at Munich, Germany
25 Oct. 45Lt. Marlin E. Klassie85th FS.KIFAKIFA near Salzburg, Austria
24 May 46Lt.Longin M. Winski85th FS.KIFAKIFA near Salzburg, Austria
28 May 46Capt.Gaston W. Callum85th FS.KIFAKIFA near Linz, Austria
6 Jan 19601st LtOtho R. BodleyKIFAKIFA near Riverdale, UT

From The 79th Fighter Group over Tunisia, Sicily and Italy in World War II by Don Woerpel

ABBREVIATIONS

Rank

Pvt Private

Pfc Private First Class

Cpl Corporal

Sgt Sergeant

S/Sgt Staff Sergeant

T/Sgt Technical Sergeant

1st Sgt First Sergeant

M/Sgt Master Sergeant

FO Flying Officer

2nd Lt Second Lieutenant

1st Lt First Lieutenant

Capt Captain

Lt Col Lieutenant Colonel

Col Colonel

 

Other

KIA Killed in Action

MIA Missing in Action

POW Prisoner of War

KIFA Killed in Flying Accident

TRFD Transferred