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Solley James Henry Croggon "Pete"

Name:
James Henry Croggon "Pete" Solley
Rank:
First Lieutenant
Serial Number:
O-794172
Unit:
552nd Bomber Squadron, 386th Bomber Group, Medium
Date of Death:
1944-03-05
State:
Maryland
Cemetery:
Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium
Plot:
C
Row:
13
Grave:
46
Decoration:
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Hear
Comments:

James Henry Croggon "Pete" Solley was born on August 13, 1920, in Glen Burnie, Maryland. He resided in Glen Burnie, Anne Arundel County, Maryland prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 18, 1942 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Manager and also as Single, without dependents.

James served in the 552nd Bomber Squadron, 386th Bomber Group, Medium, as a First Lieutenant and Bombardier/Navigator on the B-26 Marauder #41-31586 RG*U during World War II. On March 3, 1944, their plane took off from Station 164 at Great Dunmow (Little Easton), England on a mission to attack the base of V1 planes in Marquenneville, France. While returning from the mission at 5:45PM, the plane was hit by flak and ignited. The pilot ordered the evacuation from the aircraft and four of them succesfully bailed out. The navigator attempted to force land but the aircraft spinned and crashed at Buigny-Lès-Gamaches - 12 km southeast of Le Tréport, France, killing the pilot and the navigator.

Initially buried in the Abbeville, France cemetery, his remains were traferred and is now buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium.

B-26 Marauder #43-34318 crew members:
1Lt Jesse Carl Higgins, Jr. - Pilot
1Lt James Henry Croggon 'Pete' Solley - Bombardier/Navigator
2Lt Robert A. Reed - CoPilot
S/Sgt Richard Henry Green - Machine Gunner
S/Sgt Emanuel Bernard Spero - Radio Operator
S/Sgt Roland Arthur Graton - Engineer

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net,