The flying formation on June 6, 1944
The Aircraft's History
42-96050, coded 5W-L of the 587th BS.
Built at the Glenn L Martin factory at Baltimore, Maryland as a B-26B-55-MA, and accepted by the Army Air Force on 5th January 1944. Next went to Kellogg Field, Battle Creek, Michigan (from 10th January 1944). Original group aircraft assigned to the 394th BG at Kellogg Field. Then flown to the 3rd AF staging area at Hunter Field, Savannah, Georgia on 31st January 1944. Flown overseas to the UK via the Southern Ferry Route, departing the USA on 8thFebruary 1944. Collided in mid air with 42-96263 in poor weather, and crashed near Gillingham, Kent on 6th June 1944 during the morning mission to gun positions at St. Martin de Varreville on the Cherbourg Peninsula, France. The pilot 1st Lt. Witcher T Berger and crew were killed. The aircraft crashed into a house in Corporation Road, Gillingham and exploded. The aircraft had flown 36 combat missions.
42-96050, coded 5W-L of the 587th BS.
Built at the Glenn L Martin factory at Baltimore, Maryland as a B-26B-55-MA, and accepted by the Army Air Force on 5th January 1944. Next went to Kellogg Field, Battle Creek, Michigan (from 10th January 1944). Original group aircraft assigned to the 394th BG at Kellogg Field. Then flown to the 3rd AF staging area at Hunter Field, Savannah, Georgia on 31st January 1944. Flown overseas to the UK via the Southern Ferry Route, departing the USA on 8thFebruary 1944. Collided in mid air with 42-96263 in poor weather, and crashed near Gillingham, Kent on 6th June 1944 during the morning mission to gun positions at St. Martin de Varreville on the Cherbourg Peninsula, France. The pilot 1st Lt. Witcher T Berger and crew were killed. The aircraft crashed into a house in Corporation Road, Gillingham and exploded. The aircraft had flown 36 combat missions.
