Memorial Liberator 41-23712

Memorial
A Liberator, type B-24D, No 41-23712, attached to the 330th
Bombardment Squadron, 93 Bombing Group of the American
Air Force and based at Holmsley South airfield in the New Forest
took off at 07.20 on October 29th 1942 with a crew of 12 on
an operational U-boat patrol mission over the Bay of Biscay. The
aircraft turned around at 11.30 but three hours later due to heavy
rain and poor visibility, the aircraft clipped Bossington Hill and
crashed into the marsh at Porlock not far from this memorial.

The dead:
Captain William J Williams II - Pilot
First Lt. Joseph G. Simpson- Navigator
Second Lt. Thomas W. Lewis
Second Lt. Charles G. Sorrel
First lt. Lynn C. Rees Jr.
Tech Sgt Walter.D. Uffleman
Staff Sgt. James DeMuzio
Sgt. Stephen Prekel
Staff Sgt. Stephen V. DeMaroney
Staff Sgt. Earl R. Purdy
Act Sgt J.J. Odell

Staff Sgt H.E. Thorpe was the sole survivor.
The memorial was erected by members of the Porlock branch of the Royal British Legion.
The small plaque is made from aircraft wreckage.

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Source

• Text: Sharky Ward
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward