Billie C Blanton

Military

media-39990.jpeg UPL 39990 Billie C. Blanton
Pilot
448th BG - 714th BS
This photo was taken from his high school yearbook. Though he looks very young, he was a junior so should have been 16-17 years old when the photo was taken

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Object Number - UPL 39990 - Billie C. Blanton Pilot 448th BG - 714th BS This photo was taken from his high school yearbook. Though he looks very young, he was a junior so...

INT Damaged by flak and crashed in Switzerland on 7/12/44 in B-24 Bim Bam Bola #4294735

Earlier, July 2, 1944 after takeoff on mission to Fiefs, FR in B24 #42-109793 lost the 3rd and then #4 propellor. . Was advised by the tower to abandon the ac and crew bailed out near Boreham, Essex. 9 RTD, 1KOM. Co-Pilot Lieutenant. Schierbrock was severely injured and died 7 July 1944.

Connections

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Units served with

448th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

714th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

42-109793

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Unit: 448th Bomb Group 714th Bomb Squadron

Places

Seething

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Enlisted	Wichita Falls, Texas	20 January 1942	Shepard AAF
Based	Cluntoe	26 May 1944
Other 448th BG Combat Tour	Seething Airfield, UK	7 June 1944 - 12 July 1944
Other Bailed Out/Returned to Duty	near Boreham, UK	2 July 1944	Blanton fought for control of his aircraft after takeoff due to a runaway propeller on #4 engine. The propeller eventually sheared off, hit and destroyed #3 engine as well. Blanton informed the tower of his situation and ordered his crew to bail out. Everyone made it out of the aircraft, however the co-pilot, James Schierbock, suffered a broken back and died five days later.
Other Bailed Out/Interned	near Lake Constance and the Austrian border, Switzerland	12 July 1944	After suffering flak damage to #3 engine, Blanton turned his a/c towards Switzerland for refuge. He ordered the crew to bail out over Lake Constance. Unfortunately six of the crew landed in Austria and were made POW. The other three, including Blanton landed in Switzerland and were interned.
	Sherman, Texas