Name:
Royce E. Smith
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
O-741944
Unit:
565th Bomber Squadron, 389th Bomb Group
Date of Death:
0000-00-00
State:
Oregon
Cemetery:
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments:
Pilot of the B-24 Liberator “Blunder Bus” which took off from Norfolk at 0800 as part of 420 American bombers determined to destroy the FG Farben chemical plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The plane was shot down by Fw190 of the JG2 over Chateauneuf sur Loire between 1300 and 1330. SSgt Dillon perished in the crash, but the remaining crew were able to bail out. LT Royce, of Klamath Falls, OR, was captured and held prisoner in Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan-Silesia.