Charles served as a Sergeant & Photographer on F-7B #44-41678, 24th Combat Mapping Squadron, 8th Photographic Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
During the war enlisted men could apply to become officers. When they did so they were considered to be "Aviation Cadets" until such time as they completed their training. Which is why his headstone notes he was an Aviation Cadet even though he still retained the rank of Sergeant.
He resided in Harford County, Maryland and was a member of the Maryland National Guard prior to the war.
His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on February 3, 1941, prior to the war, from Baltimore, Maryland. He was noted, at that time, as being employed as a Salesperson and also as Single, with dependents.
F-7B #44-41678 took off, with a crew of 9, on a combat photo mission from Cox's Bazaar, India. Shortly after takeoff they crashed, for an unknown reason, into the sea off Bengal.
Charles was "Killed In Action" in this crash during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
He was originally interred on Kurushaul Island, India and was later repatriated here on September 9, 1949.
Service # 20349511
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on F-7B #44-41678:
Carmichael, Dale M ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, IN
Dewhirst, William L ~ Corp, Gunner, MI
Hurley, Virgil E, Jr ~ Corp, Gunner, OK
Melland, Edward C ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, WI
Payne, Charles W ~ Sgt, Photographer, MD
The rest of the crew survived the crash.
Note: An F-7B was actually a B-24 which was converted into a photographic reconnaissance version of the plane.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
During the war enlisted men could apply to become officers. When they did so they were considered to be "Aviation Cadets" until such time as they completed their training. Which is why his headstone notes he was an Aviation Cadet even though he still retained the rank of Sergeant.
He resided in Harford County, Maryland and was a member of the Maryland National Guard prior to the war.
His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on February 3, 1941, prior to the war, from Baltimore, Maryland. He was noted, at that time, as being employed as a Salesperson and also as Single, with dependents.
F-7B #44-41678 took off, with a crew of 9, on a combat photo mission from Cox's Bazaar, India. Shortly after takeoff they crashed, for an unknown reason, into the sea off Bengal.
Charles was "Killed In Action" in this crash during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
He was originally interred on Kurushaul Island, India and was later repatriated here on September 9, 1949.
Service # 20349511
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on F-7B #44-41678:
Carmichael, Dale M ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, IN
Dewhirst, William L ~ Corp, Gunner, MI
Hurley, Virgil E, Jr ~ Corp, Gunner, OK
Melland, Edward C ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, WI
Payne, Charles W ~ Sgt, Photographer, MD
The rest of the crew survived the crash.
Note: An F-7B was actually a B-24 which was converted into a photographic reconnaissance version of the plane.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Charles served as a Sergeant & Photographer on F-7B #44-41678, 24th Combat Mapping Squadron, 8th Photographic Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
During the war enlisted men could apply to become officers. When they did so they were considered to be "Aviation Cadets" until such time as they completed their training. Which is why his headstone notes he was an Aviation Cadet even though he still retained the rank of Sergeant.
He resided in Harford County, Maryland and was a member of the Maryland National Guard prior to the war.
His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on February 3, 1941, prior to the war, from Baltimore, Maryland. He was noted, at that time, as being employed as a Salesperson and also as Single, with dependents.
F-7B #44-41678 took off, with a crew of 9, on a combat photo mission from Cox's Bazaar, India. Shortly after takeoff they crashed, for an unknown reason, into the sea off Bengal.
Charles was "Killed In Action" in this crash during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
He was originally interred on Kurushaul Island, India and was later repatriated here on September 9, 1949.
Service # 20349511
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on F-7B #44-41678:
Carmichael, Dale M ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, IN
Dewhirst, William L ~ Corp, Gunner, MI
Hurley, Virgil E, Jr ~ Corp, Gunner, OK
Melland, Edward C ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, WI
Payne, Charles W ~ Sgt, Photographer, MD
The rest of the crew survived the crash.
Note: An F-7B was actually a B-24 which was converted into a photographic reconnaissance version of the plane.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
During the war enlisted men could apply to become officers. When they did so they were considered to be "Aviation Cadets" until such time as they completed their training. Which is why his headstone notes he was an Aviation Cadet even though he still retained the rank of Sergeant.
He resided in Harford County, Maryland and was a member of the Maryland National Guard prior to the war.
His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on February 3, 1941, prior to the war, from Baltimore, Maryland. He was noted, at that time, as being employed as a Salesperson and also as Single, with dependents.
F-7B #44-41678 took off, with a crew of 9, on a combat photo mission from Cox's Bazaar, India. Shortly after takeoff they crashed, for an unknown reason, into the sea off Bengal.
Charles was "Killed In Action" in this crash during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
He was originally interred on Kurushaul Island, India and was later repatriated here on September 9, 1949.
Service # 20349511
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on F-7B #44-41678:
Carmichael, Dale M ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, IN
Dewhirst, William L ~ Corp, Gunner, MI
Hurley, Virgil E, Jr ~ Corp, Gunner, OK
Melland, Edward C ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, WI
Payne, Charles W ~ Sgt, Photographer, MD
The rest of the crew survived the crash.
Note: An F-7B was actually a B-24 which was converted into a photographic reconnaissance version of the plane.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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AVC, US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
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