Name:
Wayne L. Baldwin
Rank:
Technical Sergeant
Serial Number:
12045024
Unit:
509th Bomber Squadron, 351st Bomb Group, Heavy
Date of Death:
1943-05-29
State:
New York
Cemetery:
Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France
Plot:
L
Row:
12
Grave:
21
Decoration:
Purple Heart, Air Medal
Comments:
TSgt Wayne L. Baldwin, belly gunner of the B-17 42-2838 “The Concho Clipper”, took off from station 110 Polebrook, UK on a bombing mission over Saint Nazaire’s submarine pens along “Flak Alley”. Over the target and harassed by Fw-190 fighters, they had just released their payload when an 88mm flak shell burst in the bomb bay, killing three gunners, including Baldwin, and the radio operator. The pilot dove to extinguish the ensuing fire in both right engines but could not regain control. The order was given to bail out and the plane subsequently crashed in two main pieces. All the survivors were taken prisoner.