From: "Serge BLANDIN" To: "Philippe Dufrasne" Cc: "Tom Ensminger" Subject: B-24 41-29555 Date: Thursday, October 18, 2001 06:11 PM Dear Mr. Dufrasne, B-24H-15-CF 41-29555, coded E-Easy, of 492nd BG - 858th BS, was lost during a night bombing mission on Duisburg, in the night of 21-22 February, 1945. The plane was hit by flak and the crew was forced to bail out in the vicinity of Tinlot ( SW of Liege ). All were safe. The aircraft was part of 29 B-24s on this mission with three other being listed as " scrubbed ". More B-24s were on supply missions during the same night. The pilot was not "Bill " Orban ( who is a good friend of mine ) on this mission. The crew was as follows : 1st/Lt. Ralph B. Sampson Pilot 1st/Lt. William S. Bartholomew Co-pilot F/O. Richard L. Greene Navigator F/O. Theodore B. Shinkus Bombardier Sgt. Lester Schiff Radio operator Sgt. Stephen P. Dunn, Jr. Gunner ( possibly F/E ? ) Sgt. Howard L. Wible Gunner Sgt. Donald G. Bennett Tail gunner Sgt. Alfred B. Lindquist Gunner All 858th BS. 41-29555 was named " Methusala " and was formerly with the 34th and 493rd BGs. The aircraft was declared salvaged on 4 March, 1945. I have no other information about the exact location of the crash and would very much appreciate any help from Belgian researchers. Serge Blandin French Representative 801st/492nd B.G.