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name
REYNOLDS, Jerome Byrd - Date of
birth
18 February 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California -
Hometown
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-727775 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
450th Bombardment Squadron,
322nd Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
9 September 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Jerome G. Reynolds (father)
Alma (Fulford) Reynolds (mother)
Colin Whitaker (halfbrother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-18058 -
Data
Type: B-26B
Destination: Le Portel, France
Mission: Bombing of coastal defenses
MACR: 15604
More information
Jerome B. Reynolds, Jr attended the University of California for two years.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States on 8 January 1942 in Los Angeles, California.
The airplane was hit by flak over the target and turned for home, but went out of control, and disintegrated prior to crashing into the North Sea. The entire crew of six men was killed.
Note: There is confusion about who the pilot of this plane was. The IDPF lists 2nd Lt Robert H. Edwards - O-856187, as the pilot. However, Lt Edwards belonged to the 8th Combat Camera Unit. It is therefore very likely that Lt Reynolds was indeed the pilot and that Lt Edwards was also on board to film the operation. For some unknown reason an error must have been made in the IDPF and Lt Reynolds was not mentioned in it.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, Raf Dyckmans, WWIIMemorial.com, Usaafdata.com, ancestry.com - California Birth Index / Enlistment Record, Armyairforces.com Forum, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: FOHF, Los Angeles Times - 09 May 1943, Arie-Jan van Hees