Colley Thomas Barksdale

Name:

Thomas Barksdale Colley

Rank:

Technical Sergeant

Serial Number:

18137492

Unit:

451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium

Date of Death:

1945-03-18

State:

Louisiana

Cemetery:

Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, USA

Plot:

Section 56

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Air Medal, Purple Heart

Comments:

Thomas Barksdale Colley was born on August 13, 1920, in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. He served in the 451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium, as a Technical Sergeant and Radio Operator of B-26G #43-34409 during World War II.

On March 18, 1945, the aircraft was lost during a mission targeting road infrastructure in Germany. It had departed from airfield A-61 in Beauvais-Tillé, France, at 08:00. While assembling for the mission near the commune of Goincourt—about 7 kilometers southwest of the airfield—it was involved in a mid-air collision with another B-26 (serial number 43-34422). The impact triggered an explosion that destroyed the aircraft and resulted in the pilot being ejected. The crash occurred around 08:44 AM.

TSgt Colley was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, USA.

Source of information: http://francecrashes39-45.net/