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2nd Lt Thomas A. Mc Conkey was a miller before he enlisted at Camp Grant, Illinois, on 24 March 1942.

S/Sgt Marvin W. Pierson:
"While flying over Romania, we were only a few minutes past the target when one B-17 blew up. I could not see any fighters near, so I did not know the reason for it doing so. Shortly afterward, a B-17, out of the element just behind us, was starting to lag and lost about a 1,000 ft in altitude, right directly below us. I saw it being attacked by one fighter. I made one pass and nothing seemed to happen. It then circled and flew along with the B-17 off to one side. It then made another pass on the B-17 and our aircraft started to smoke, and seemed a little out of control. I saw two parachutes before the aircraft got into the clouds, where I lost sight of it.

2nd Lt Thomas A. McConkey is remembered in Farmer City, DeWitt County, Illinois.