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Personal info

Full name
PROCTOR, Irvin Madison
Date of birth
31 December 1911
Age
32
Place of birth
Nokesville, Prince William County, Virginia
Hometown
Greenbelt, Prince George's County, Maryland

Military service

Service number
33557718
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
391st Bombardment Squadron,
34th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
19 July 1944
Place of death
English Channel, off the coast of Dieppe, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Verlon Proctor Sr. (father)
Emma I. (Weatherholtz) Proctor (mother)
Helen Proctor (sister)
Verlon Proctor Jr. (brother)
Emma Proctor (sister)
Quintin Proctor (brother)
Francis Proctor (sister)
John Proctor (brother)
June Prostor (sister)
Philis Proctor (sister)
Bettie Proctor (sister)
Dorothy M. (Gomes) Proctor (wife)
Richard I. Proctor (son)
Joyce P. Proctor (daughter)
Kenneth R. Proctor (son)

Plane data

Serial number
44-40284
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Tondelayo
Destination: Saarbrücken, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yards
MACR: 7422

More information

S/Sgt Irvin Proctor enlisted in Baltimore, Maryland on 16 February 1943.

The plane was hit by flak about one minute after releasing its bombs. Although all the controls were damaged, the pilot managed to fly the aircraft westward toward the coast of France where three crew members parachuted from the damaged bomber over Dieppe. They all drowned. The remaining crew managed to get the aircraft back to England where they bailed out about 15 miles inland. The aircraft itself remained airborne and flew to Wingene, Belgium, where it made a belly landing.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, NARA, Footnote.com, Valortovictory.tripod.com, Dan Oh / Find A Grave, Stars&Bars / Find A Grave, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Jac Engels