Fred M Billings Jr

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Pilot Lt. Fred M. Billings flying the B-24D, 42-40354, Snafu, with it's British Lend Lease serial number, 40-2354, after a bombing mission to the St. Nazaire submarine pens, sustained a mid-air collision with the B-24D, 41-23818, named, Texan II, and, Bela, just off the English coast near Selsey Bill, Sussex, UK. Both aircraft exploded, crashed into the English Channel, and both crews were Killed in Action. 10 KIA. Lost 16 Feb 43, FRA - MACR 5095 - Pilot Fred M. Billings, Jr. Mid Air Collision (MAC) over the English Channel with the B-24, Bela, 41-23818.

At 1010 hours, which was soon after leaving the English coast off Selsey, Sussex, aircraft #354 piloted by Lt. Fred Billings, Jr. of the 66th Squadron, seemed to be having trouble maintaining it's position in the formation. Slowing down, it lost its altitude rather rapidly, dipping the left wing at the same time. The following aircraft in the formation, the 67th’s aircraft #41-23818 and piloted by Lt. Long, went under #354, and the pilot, seeing the danger, endeavored to wing away, down and to the right. However, in so doing, his left wing tip collided with the under part of the fuselage of Lieutenant Billing’s ship and seemed to lock in that position. A small fire appeared almost immediately at that point of contact and within a few seconds an explosion took place, entirely disintegrating both ships, which fell in flaming pieces down through a formation of Flying Fortresses. Apparently, four men were thrown clear from both aircraft as four parachutes were seen to open and float down and into the water. RAF Sea-Rescue combed the area but without success and all crewmen were listed as KIA. Feb 16, 1943. MACR 5095

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95260) nicknamed "Lili Marlene" of the 66th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group flies in formation with two comrades. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-24 H & B-24 J OF 44th B.G. 66th Sqdn'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

B-24 Liberator (serial number 40-2354) nicknamed "SNAFU" of the 44th Bomb Group Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 5 Sep 1942.' [stamp] and '219925.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse however this has been removed.
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Snafu
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Other

Commemorated

Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

16 February 1943 Killed when aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with another B-24, exploded and crashed into the English Channel en-route to St. Nazaire. His remains have never been recovered.

Revisions

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Contributorjmoore43
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Removed extra info in the "Role/job" field.

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ContributorKickapoo
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Added MACR 5095 to ending. - Kickapoo

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ContributorKickapoo
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Aircraft name, Snafu, changed from all capital letters. - Kickapoo

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ContributorKickapoo
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44th Bomb Group - Roll of honor and Casualties

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ContributorKickapoo
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44th Bomb Group - Roll of Honor and Casualties

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ContributorKickapoo
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Best Web - B-24 - 42-40354 - 40-2354 - SNAFU

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ContributorKickapoo
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ContributorLee8thbuff
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Lee Cunningham 22-Feb-2015. Corrected SN and added KIA event per MACR 5095; Added decorations and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; Corrected Unit connection, made connections to Place and Mission within existing website data; Added crew position and loss details to Biography per "Losses of the 8th & 9th AIr Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

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ContributorAAM
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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5095 & 3202 B / MACR 5095, Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 79, 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Lundy p. 50, The 44th BG in WWII by MacKay and Adams Appendix 4. / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database