Billie C Blanton
MilitaryPilot
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
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 448th Bomb Group 714th Bomb Squadron
Places
- 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 |
Revisions
"The 448th BG - Liberators over Germany" - Jeffrey Brett
pages 123, 124, 271
http://www.ww2enlistment.org/index.php?page=directory&rec=1503317
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 7560