Russell James LaCock

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-23070.jpeg UPL 23070 SSGT Russell James LaCock
Waist Gunner
Kenneth Gorrell Crew
458th BG - 752nd BS

KIA - 2 March 1944

Object Number - UPL 23070 - SSGT Russell James LaCock Waist Gunner Kenneth Gorrell Crew 458th BG - 752nd BS KIA - 2 March 1944

Assigned to 752BS 458BG, 8AF. Crashed at Hellesdon, Norwich after takeoff for 1st operational mission on 2-Mar-44 in B-24 41-28669. Killed in Action (KIA).



Awards: PH.

Connections

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Units served with

Personnel of the 458th Bomb Group gather around a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-29303) nicknamed "Liberty Lib" in order to transfer a casualty into a waiting ambulance. Image via Harry Holmes. Written on slide casing: '458th BG.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-747169
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Ginny
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Toledo, OH, USA 26 June 1919 Son of Russell J and Cora Elizabeth [Heenan] Strain.

Enlisted

Tulsa, OK, USA 21 December 1940 Tulsa, Oklahoma

Died

Hellesdon, UK 2 March 1944 Crashed at Hellesdon, Norwich after takeoff for 1st operational mission on 2-Mar-44 in B-24 41-28669. Killed in Action (KIA). LT KENNETH M GORRELL took off from AAF Station 123 using runway going into the south west at 230°. Upon becoming airborn [sic] the aircraft appeared never to assume a normal flying attitude. It assumed a tail low or stalling attitude from take off and seem to increase until ship crashed. The vertical stabilizer on the left side struck the roof of house at 6 Berkley Close, Hellesdon, Norwich, causing damage to roof and ceiling of house. This first contact swerved ship from original flight path about 60°. The ship next hit the ground and skidded up against the side of a house located at 9 Pinewood Close, Hellesdon, Norwich. At which spot ship caught fire and burned. The pilot, radio operator and engineer were the only survivors. "The damage to private property and claims are included in the inclosure. The RAF Damage Officer was notified in accordance with 8th AF Memo 60-2B. "The negligence of the pilot in not checking for the presence of ice and ice on the wings are responsible for the accident. There was no evidence of material failure involved. Recommendation that in the future pilots make careful check for ice on wings."

Buried

3 March 1944 Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial Coton South Cambridgeshire District Cambridgeshire, England Plot: Plot B Row 8 Grave 10
Creek County, OK, USA

Based

Horsham St Faith 2 March 1944 Assigned to 752BS 458BG, 8AF.

Revisions

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ContributorAl_Skiff
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Contributor466thHistorian
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Sources

Combat Chronology Supplement, p. 232, Folded Wings of the 458th Bombardment Group p. 7, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces & Page 278of the book LIBERATORS OVER EUROPE by Mackay, Bailey & Scorza, D790G458 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Russell James LaCock: Gallery (2 items)