Wayman B. SKADDEN

Source : Andy

 B-24 Liberator - type D-35-CO - s/n 42-40172 5Z*C ou F "Lynn Bari II"

Macr : 8422
Mission: Maquis Saphir - Equipment parachute drop in Duerne (69)
Take off 8/14 10:03 p.m. Harrington, Northamptonshire
Given on the 14th by AAF - equipment intended for the maquis of St-Symphorien-sur-Coise
Hit a tree while parachuting and crash into the mountain

 CEMETERY TEMPORARY of  Luynes Cemetery, Aix-En-Provence N°3551

Story of Cemetery Temporary

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

The 492nd entered combat on 11 May 1944 and, throughout the month, operated mainly against industrial targets in central Germany.

Attacked airfields and V1 weapons launch sites in France during the first week of June.

Bombed coastal defences in Normandy on June 6, 1944 and attacked bridges, railways and other interdiction targets in France until the middle of the month.

Resumption of the bombing of strategic targets in Germany and, with the exception of the support of the infantry during the breakthrough of Saint-Lô on July 25, 1944, continue these operations until August 1944 where after only 89 days of combat, 492nd had lost 52 planes to enemy action, with 588 men killed or missing. In the words of one veteran, "the whole group was wiped out".

Rather than trying to rebuild the broken group, the 492nd was removed from duty and the surviving members were reassigned to other units in the theatre.

Subsequently, the organization was transferred without personnel or equipment to RAF Harrington on August 5, 1944, and assumed the personnel, equipment and special operations mission Carpetbagger of the 801st Bombardment Group, which was interrupted. With black painted aircraft configured with engine flame dampers and optimized for night operations, the group operated mainly in the south of France.

B24 42-40172 with Major Pilot William N. Anderson, was a veteran of "Operation Tidal Wave", the low-level raid to destroy the Romanian oil fields piloted by the 506 Squadron 44th Bomb group.

Operation Carpetbagger B24 Crew

L-R,standing : James H. Husbands, Benjamin Rosen, Unidentified, Unidentified, John W. Gillikin

L-R,Front row : William H. Moncy, Unidentified, Unidentified, child, Connie L. Walker

Source : Sarah Jane Gabig

Crew of  B-24 Liberator - type D-35-CO - s/n 42-40172 5Z*C ou F

"Lynn Bari II"