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Personal info

Full name
BYRNE, Austin Patrick "Red"
Date of birth
13 May 1920
Age
24
Place of birth
Woodhaven, Long Island, Queens County, New York
Hometown
Queens, Queens County, New York

Military service

Service number
O-025011
Rank
Captain
Function
Command Pilot
Unit
857th Bombardment Squadron,
492nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
6 August 1944
Place of death
Buxtehude, southwest of Hamburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Thomas J. Byrne (father)
Clara A. (Janson) Byrne (mother)
Thomas Byrne (brother)
Brendan Byrne (brother)
Janice Byrne (sister)
Gerald Byrne (brother)
Catherine Byrne (sister)
Virginia Byrne (sister)
Rosemary Byrne (sister)
Betty J. (Daly) Byrne (wife)
Patrick Byrne (son)

Plane data

Serial number
42-95561
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Stormy Weather
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Rheunania Ossag oil refinery
MACR: 8081

More information

Capt Austin P. Byrne graduated from John Adams High School and attended Columbia University for one year. He entered West Point Military Academy on 1 July 1938 and graduated on 29 May 1942.

The aircraft was hit by flak just after the target and went into a tight spin. Two parachutes were seen at first and then eight more. The pilot apparently was able to pull it out of the spin one or twice and then it went into a dive again. The plane was seen to blow up on crashing in the target area.

Six crew members survived and were taken prisoner. Five men were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Jack Solomon, www.ancestry.com - Military Academy West Point Yeabook 1942