Manahan Blaine Raymond, Jr.

Name:

Blaine Raymond, Jr. Manahan

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-814928

Unit:

95th Bomb Group (Heavy)

Date of Death:

1944-04-10

State:

Illnois

Cemetery:

Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France

Plot:

A

Row:

3

Grave:

28

Decoration:

Purple Heart

Comments:

Blaine Raymond Manahan Jr. was born on October 3, 1920, in Cherry, Bureau County, Illinois. He was the son of Blaine Manahan and Violet Williams Manahan. He served in the 354th Bomber Squadron, 95th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of B-17G #42-31258 nicknamed "Lucky Strike" during World War II.

On April 10, 1944, the aircraft was shot down over France while on a mission to Beaumont-sur-Oise. It had taken off at 05:30 from Station 119 in Horham, Suffolk, UK. While flying near Ch�teau-Thierry, the bomber was attacked by German Fw 190 fighters. The crew was forced to jettison their bombs over a secondary target before beginning to evacuate around 09:45. As the crew bailed out, the aircraft exploded in midair over La Fosse Pernet, located between the communes of Ercuis and Le Tillet�approximately 10 kilometers southwest of Nogent-sur-Oise�resulting in the deaths of four crew members.

2Lt Manahan was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France.

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