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Sgt James T. O'Brien enlisted at Camp Dodge, Herrold, Iowa, on 15 February 1943. He attended college for 1 year.

He and Janet Kleinschmidt were engaged and planned to be married once he returned from the war. He had basic training at Miami Beach, Florida, followed by gunnery school at Fort Meyers, Florida. He had further training at Buckley and Lowry Fields, Colorado, where he studied photography, the bomb sight and plane armor. Following service at both Pyote and Dalhart, Texas, he went overseas in January of 1944. Since that time he had been stationed somewhere in England. His father James E. O'Brien was a veteran of World War I, having served in France.

At about 1649 hours near Brussels, the plane was hit by flak on the return and fell out of formation and was last seen leaving enemy coast near Ostend at about 10,000 feet. No parachutes were reported.

The entire crew of 10 was killed.

The body of Theodore R. Lipchitz washed ashore at Oost-Duinkerke, Belgium, and was initially buried at the cemetery of this village. He is now buried in New Haven, Connecticut. The body of Wilmer R. Goldinger washed ashore at an unknown location and was initially buried at the Temporary U.S. Military Cemetery of St. André as Unknown X-809. After identification, he was given his final resting place at Normandy Cemetery. Robert Gibbs was interred at the English Memorial Cemetery at Coxyde, Belgium, and evacuated to Ardennes Cemetery as Unknown X-5581, where he was permanently interred after identification. The remains of the rest of the crew were never recovered.