DeMatio crew
Mission #37 July 18, 1944 42-94889 B/O DeMatio Patches
Mission #38 July 19, 1944 42-94893 D/E 18BS DeMatio Hell’s Belle MIA
Mission #37 July 18, 1944 42-94889 B/O DeMatio Patches
Took off at 0546 hours.
Flew position 2-2 in Composite Squadron, with six 490BG planes.
Carried 52 100 lb Fragmentation bombs. Dropped on Primary at 0839 hours from 16,800 feet.
Slight battle damage reported.
Landed 1043 hours.
DeMatio (P)
Simpson (Command Pilot) Capt.
Ray (CP)
Morehouse (N)
Vachon (B)
Asti (R)
Tankersley (E)
Moorehead (G)
McCarthy (G)
Lashco (G)
Williams (G)
Mission #38 July 19, 1944 42-94893 D/E 18BS DeMatio Hell’s Belle MIA
Took off at 0602 hours.
Flew position 4-3 in Lead Squadron, but probably shifted due to abortions.
Carried 12 500 lb GP lb bombs. Collided prior to target near the IP.
Lost to collision with Little at IP at 0928 hours, 22,000 feet. (See below)
DeMatio (P)
Ray (CP)
Morehouse (N)
Vachon (B)
Asti (R)
Tankersley (E)
Schullman (BT)
McCarthy (TG)
Moorehead (NG)
Williams (WG)
B-24H 42-94893 D/E Hell’s Belle Missing in Action mid-air collision with 42-51190 Ann. With 18BS. Pilot: Damatio. Missing Air Crew Report # 7419. 10 Killed in Action.
KIA DeMATIO DONALD H (P) 2 LT 18 O-700439 WEST BRANCH MI
KIA RAY LEONARD S (CP) 2 LT 18 O-763316 CO
KIA MOREHOUSE GARFIELD R (N) 2 LT 18 O-712883 SAVANNAH GA
KIA VACHON WALTER A (B) 2 LT 18 O-716999 STRATFORD CT
KIA TANKERSLEY CECIL A (E/TT) S/SGT 18 35654687 CHARLESTON WV
KIA ASTI CARL O (R) S/SGT 18 31291508 WOONSOCKET RI
KIA SCHULMAN JESSE J (BT) SGT 18 32219436 STATEN ISLAND NY
KIA WILLIAMS HAROLD G (WG) SGT 18 38507579 GREENBRIAR AR
KIA McCARTHY JOHN J JR (TG) SGT 18 33683319 MEADVILLE PA
KIA MOOREHEAD HARVEY N (NG) SGT 18 39708928 LOS ANGLES CA