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name
CAVE, Mark Wendell - Date of
birth
7 October 1918 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Rotan, Fisher County, Texas -
Hometown
Fisher County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
18201748 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Engineer/Gunner -
Unit
495th Bombardment Squadron,
344th Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
29 May 1945 - Place of
death
In the park of Henneberg Castle
Hennemont, France
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Walter W. Cave (father)
Lavonia L. (Shanks) Cave (mother)
Winfred D. Cave (brother)
Vida Cave (sister)
M. L. Cave (brother)
James S. Cave (brother)
Dale R. Cave (brother)
Margaret W. (Rivers) Cave (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-107691 -
Data
Type: B-26C-45
Destination: Paris, France
Mission: Railroad Bridge
MACR: 5141
More information
Sgt Mark W. Cave attended college and was a wholesale manager.He volunteered for the U.S. Army in San Antonio, Texas on 13 November 1942. He was sent overseas in March 1944.
Aircraft failed to return from a bombing mission over Paris, France. An eye-witness stated the aircraft was hit in the left wing during the bomb run. The bomb bay doors were open. The aircraft pulled out of formation and went into a vertical dive, dropping 4,000 feet and went into a spin to the left, then straightened out. It seemed as though the tail came off, dropped into another spin and disappeared from view. At approximately 1144 (11:44 a.m.) hours, the aircraft crashed in the park of Henneberg Castle (Hennemont in French). All six crew members were listed as casulties.
He is remembered at the Hobbs Cemetery in Hobbs, Fisher County, Texas.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.findagrave.com - Le Roy Masters, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Bryan Family Tree, www.fold3.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Frogman / Paul J / M. Bishop