DETAILS TAKEN FROM THE 385th BOMB GROUP HISTORY FOR 1943
" The target today was Rheims-Champaigne.
Since all objectives were too overcast for effective bombing, none were dropped.
On the return, over England, two of our finest crews - those of Lt.John Keeley and Lt. Paul Yannello - collided while they were letting down from altitude.
S/sgt Adams of Lt Yannello's crew, alone parachuted to safety. Lt.Sidney White, Squadron Operations Officer, who was on this mission as assistant bombardier on the Yannello crew was among those who went down. Both lt Keeley and Yannello had completed 11 operational missions, and they and their crews were considered among the most efficient and dependable in this group".
The Crew all perished in this incident
0792338. 1st Lt. John.T. Keeley ..... Pilot.
0735055. 2nd Lt. Harry R. Coomes .... Co-Pilot.
0734387. 2nd Lt. Theodore R. Rouse .... Bombardier.
0795285. 2nd Lt. Arthur R. Moore .... Navigator.
15089478. S/Sgt. Ledger. Pontius .... Aero Eng Gunner.
32228496. S/Sgt. Samuel B. Rochester .... Radio Op Gunner.
38052268. S/Sgt. Douglas. Binford .... Asst Aero Eng Gunner.
37220092. Sgt. Robert L. Banner .... Asst Radio Op Gunner.
19115600. Sgt. Raymond H. Shepherd .... Arm Gunner.
32502625. Sgt. Edward. Osborne .... Asst Arm Gunner.
This was the second aircraft and there has been much confusion in the
past which aircraft was which, but due to a mistake on an earlier website that
this was wrongly put that it crashed at Nuttys Farm, this one did not it crashed at
Tillingham Hall Farm around 1.03km away.
We visited Raunchy Wolfs crash site in 1974 and there was still a crater that was
about to be filled in, only tiny fragments wet to be found scattered around due to
the bomb load exploding on impact.
More information and photos published soon