Darryl was born in Whitefield in Maine in 1922, he grew up near Jefferson where he goes to school, his parents have a farm.
At the end of his secondary schooling he wants to move as engineer in aeronautics, but early 1943 it engages in Portland in the US Army. It shows gunner onboard and joined England in November 1943.
Baraquements | Salle des Cartes | Tour de Controle | Vol de B 17 |
He was stationed on the basis of Framlingham station 153 near Parham.
B 17 du 569th Bomber Squadron
Darryl will perform several missions within its number 33 this crew which earned him 21 missions to its counter on the eve of May 8, 1944; in this day of May 8 he volunteered to be a crew improvised among the present Airmen on the station 153. Among the tasks of the day, one is the basis of Hardinvast, this mission which is entrusted to the Group of B-17 which is part of Darryl.
The B-17 is part of training of 21 bombers of 13rd Combat Wing.
Organigramme de la 8th Air Force
After reaching the cotentin at height of St-Germain-des-Vaux training divided into three squadrons (Lead, High and Low) approach its goal.
The B-17, Darryl is located in the squadron of head "Lead Squadron" composed of seven aircraft of the 390th BG, it is last.
Position dans le plan de formation de la mission
The sky is clear, very good visibility, but they will come up against their approach to a real shot of dam and explosions. The leader drops his bombs at 19:12. The German fire repeat and affect the B-17, Darryl...
The bomber still managed to drop its bombs but the worst arrives and bomber explodes mid-air above Breuville and disintegrates launching thousands of pieces at its fall. The bodies of the crew will be scattered in several nearby fields. The debris of the aircraft spread around the village. Two crew members will still get by, indeed after dropping his bombs, the payload bay doors are left open and two members (Paul Valhos and Joseph Morris) will come out those doors and jump their two parachutes will open, two Airmen will be caught by the Germans the same day for Joseph Morris and Paul Valhos overnight. Certainly as the rest of the crew attempted to perform the same output but it has not had the time. With respect to the balance of this mission the result is not all at the venue. The impacts are concentrated to more than a kilometre to the North West of the objective.
For Darryl it was his 22 nd mission the day of his 22nd birthday.