Ennis Murry Bankhead, son of Johnny and Ruby Carman Phillips Bankhead, was born on August 16, 1920, in Cunningham, Lamar County, Texas. He was employed at J. C. Penney Co. in Paris and Muskogee, Oklahoma, before entering the U.S. Army Air Corps.

The crew finished training and deployed to England, arriving there on August 25, 1943. Records reveal the first mission was flown on September 3, 1943. The target was the Renault Company plants in Paris, with secondary targets the Beaumont le Roger Airfield nearby. A controversy now erupted in the telling of the demise of this aircraft. Records of the 100th Bomb Group state that after receiving heavy flak and possible damage, B-17 # 42-30089, named "Sunny," came upwards unexpectedly and collided with this aircraft. The propellers cut into the tail section and killed the tail gunner in his station.

A later interview with the pilot (plus other sources) tells a different story. These state that the aircraft was hit by a flak and lost an engine. A fire erupted, and the aircraft was out of control. The crew bailed out, and all made safe landings. Seven of the crew managed to evade and return to military control. Two became POWs, and Bankhead was declared dead, killed in the accident.

Other records (including NARA POW records,) show Bankhead was captured and died of wounds in prison camp as a POW. One even shows he received the POW Medal. A Texas newspaper has an article concerning how Bankhead's mother received a telegram that he was a prisoner, but died.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com