Menu
  • Abous us
  • Search database
  • Resources
  • Donate
  • Faq

Cummings Francis J.

Name:
Francis J. Cummings
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
O-673057
Unit:
392nd Bomb Group, 576th Bomber Squadron
Date of Death:
1944-03-18
State:
Pennsylvania
Cemetery:
Jefferson Barracks National Cem., Missouri
Plot:
Section 82, Site 38A
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Purple Heart
Comments:

On 18 March 1944, two B-24 Liberators from the 392nd Bomb Group, 576th and 577th Bomber Squadrons, were involved in a horrific mid-air collision over the Oise department in France. Amblin Oakie, Aircraft #41-29174, on its 25th mission, and Aircraft 41-28651 (no nickname) on its 9th mission both took off from the UK at around 10am on 18 March 1944, along with 26 other aircraft, on a bombing mission to Friedrichshafen. Amblin Oakie was caught in violent propeller wash from the other craft as it fell out of formation. The collision occurred at 1253. On Amblin Oakie a section of the right wing torn off behind the #4 engine as well as a portion of the tail assembly. The other plane lost its left tail section and both wings. Cummings was the navigator of the Aircraft 41-28651 and was killed just outside Le Ployron, France in a crash.