Thomas Wood McGrain
MilitaryBlack Sunday - Michael Hill
Lt. McGrain, of the 515th Bomb Squadron, flew on the Operation Tidal Wave mission with Lt. Edwin L. Gluck on, 030, B-24D, 41-24030. It was his eighth combat mission. He referred to this aircraft as, Good Time Charley. He also flew on the B-24 42-73084, Ropes McGonigle, and the B-24D, 42-40760, Solid John. His last combat mission was 3 Dec 1943. After completing his combat tour, he flew as Navigator during the war bond tour on B-24 41-11613, The Blue Streak, of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. The crew, each member of which had completed 50 missions, flew back in, The Blue Streak, to Fort Worth, Texas, for a war bond tour.
Awards: DFC, AM (6OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (3 x Battle Stars).
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Soluch Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Detroit, MI, USA | 13 August 1921 | Son of Thomas and Mabel [Collingbourne] McGrain. |
Enlisted |
Saginaw, MI | 28 January 1942 | Saginaw, Michigan |
Died |
Wuesthoff Hospital Emergency, Rockledge, FL 32955, USA | 2 April 2009 | Died in the company of his family at Wuesthoff Hospital, Rockledge, Florida, on Thursday, April 2, 2009. |
East Lansing, MI, USA | East Lansing, Michigan, USA. | ||
Other Assigned |
Libya | 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. | |
Buried |
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia |
Revisions
Lt McGrain's Individual Flight Records during the war verify the dates and missions he flew. Newspaper articles from early 1944 verify his journey with "The Blue Streak" as part of the war bonds tour after he completed his combat tour on 3 Dec 1943.
Third service number from Individual Flight Records after creation of the US Air Force and used through June 1949. In the Army and Air Force Register, 1948 it lists his service number as 048405.
Lt McGrain was assigned to the 515th Bomb Squadron and flew the Operation Tidal Wave mission with Lt Edwin L. Gluck. Lt McGrain was also assigned to the Daniel B. Orr crew of the 515th Bomb Squadron. Upon his completion of combat in 1943, he was selected to fly the war bonds tour with B-24D HALPRO #10 41-11613, which was renamed from "Florene Ju Ju" to "Teggie Ann," then to the "Blue Streak. The other aircraft he flew in combat in 1943 were B-24J 42-73084 "Ropes McGonigle" and B-24D 42-40760 "Solid John."
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.