Maurice Arvin Lofgren
Military ROLL OF HONOURBlack Sunday-Ploesti - Michael Hill
Captain Maurice Arvid Lofgren - B-24 Command Pilot
BIRTH : 12 Nov 1915 - Richvale, Butte County, California, USA
DEATH : 30 Aug 1943 - age 27
Butte County, California, USA
BURIAL : Chico Cemetery - Chico, Butte County, California, USA
MEMORIAL ID : 63674940
Captain Maurice Arvid (Doc) Lofgren - KIA
Hometown: Richvale, CA.
Squadron: 303rd Bomb Squadron
Service Number : O-727895
Awards: DFC - Air Medal - Purple Heart - WWII Victory Medal - EAMEC Medal
Missing Air Crew Report Details :
USAAF MACR : 16372 Date Lost : 30-Aug-43
Aircraft Serial Number: 42-7468
Aircraft Model B-24H
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location: Crew - 9 KIA
Cause: Captain Maurice Lofgren was lost, killed: passenger on a non combat operational passenger en route to, or in, a practice training mission, while still flying within friendly English air space and not over enemy held areas. T/Sgt. Murphy and TSgt. Schwartz were being sent to Burtonwood, U.K. the 392nd's base supply depot, to crew a new B-24H being ferried to the 392nd Bomb Group. The B-24H, 42-7468, departed Burtonwood at 1700 hours on 30 August, 1943, with nine men on board, including Sgt. Murphy, Sgt. Schwartz, Lt. Maloney, who was serving as navigator on the crew, and Lt. McKnight, who was, apparently, on his way to the 392nd to report for duty, a pilot, copilot, engineer, radio operator, and a passenger, all from the 93rd Bomb Group.
About 1.5 miles northwest of the airfield, the nose of the aircraft dipped towards the ground, and it disappeared out of sight, followed by an explosion, with flames rising some 200 feet high. The aircraft had struck a small earthwork about 32 feet high, known locally as "Battery Cob," in the middle of otherwise level farmland. When it hit, the aircraft was approximately on a 30 degree right turn, hitting the "Cob" with the right wingtip about three feet from its base. The force of the impact threw a major part of the aircraft over the top of the mound and scattered remains for about 200 yards beyond. All nine men were killed on take off for the trip home, after completing 25 missions at Burtonwood. 30 Aug 1943. MACR 16372
On Board - 42-7468:
P - Lt. Merle F Tompkins - 0-740004 - 329th Bomb Sqn - 93rd Bomb Group - -
F/O - Virgil R Bell - T190735 - 330th Bomb Sqn - 93rd Bomb Group - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CP - TSgt. Reed Armstrong - 39827450 - ? Bomb Sqn - 3rd Bomb Group - -
F/E - Lt. Eugene V Maloney - 0-801485 - 578th Bomb Sqn - 392nd Bomb Group - - - -
Nav - TSgt. Leo Lovasik - 33278427 - 329th Bomb Sqn - 93rd Bomb Group - -
RO - TSgt. Hyman Schwartz - 13045512 - 579th Bomb Sqn - 392nd Bomb Group - - - - - - - - - - - - CC - Lt. William McKnight - 801490 - 578th Sqn - 392nd Bomb Group - -
Pass - Capt. Maurice A Lofgren - 727895 - 330 Bomb Sqn - 93rd Bomb Group - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pass - TSgt. Walter F Murphy - 11008976 - 579th Bomb Sqn - 392nd Bomb Group - -
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18051856 / O-435976
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Died |
30 August 1943 |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted's Traveling Circus