media-40896.jpeg UPL 40896 Alvin Berthelsen crew, 566th Bomb Sqd, 389th Bomb Grp, posing in front of another crew's aircraft the day before being shot down over Germany on 28 Jan 1945 in a borrowed B-24J, "Miss America" (S/N: 42-50558). Their normally assigned aircraft, "Lonie Mac" (S/N: 42-50498), was undergoing maintenance and an eleventh crewmember, SSgt Philip G. DeFalco, Radar Counter Measures (not pictured), was added for this their final mission. Five crewmembers were reported killed in action while the other six, including DeFalco, parachuted out successfully, only to be captured and interned by the Germans. Back row, L to R: TSgt, Keith M. Holdredge - Radio Operator (POW); SSgt, Louis V. Winter - Tail Gunner (POW); SSgt, Donald G. Johnson - Waist Gunner (KIA); SSgt, Willie G. Pounds - Waist Gunner (KIA); TSgt, Charles H. Spivey - Engineer (KIA); SSgt, Willard L. Crum - Nose Gunner (POW). Front row, L to R: 1st Lt, William T. Faircloth - Bombardier (KIA); 1st Lt, Thomas R. Riggles - Co-pilot (POW); 1st Lt, Harvey R. Muskrat - Navigator (KIA); 1st Lt, Alvin L. Berthelsen - Pilot (POW). Thomas Riggles

Original photograph with names of subjects annotated, obtained from my father, Thomas Riggles, who was one of the pictured crew members. MACR 11988.