Ennis Murry Bankhead, son of Johnny and Ruby Carman Phillips Bankhead, was born on August 16, 1920 in Cunningham, Lamar County, Texas. He was employed at J. C. Penney Co. in Paris and Muskogee, Oklahoma prior to entering the U.S. Army Air Corps.
The crew finished training and deployed to England, arriving there on August 25, 1943. Records reveal the first mission was flown on September 3, 1943. The target was the Renault Company plants in Paris, with secondary targets the Beaumont le Roger Airfield nearby. A controversy now erupts in the telling of the demise of this aircraft. Records of the 100th Bomb Group state that after receiving heavy flak and possible damage, B-17 # 42-30089, named "Sunny," came upwards unexpectedly and collided with this aircraft. The propellers cut into the tail section and killed the tail gunner in his station.
A later interview with the pilot (plus other sources) tell a different story. These state that the aircraft was hit by flak and lost an engine. A fire erupted, and the aircraft was out of control. The crew bailed out, and all made safe landings. Seven of the crew managed to evade, and return to military control. Two became POWs, and Bankhead was declared dead, killed in the accident.
Other records (including NARA POW records,) show Bankhead was captured, and died of wounds in prison camp as a POW. One even shows he received the POW Medal. A Texas newspaper has an article concerning how Bankhead's mother received a telegram that he was a prisoner, but died.
*****************
SSgt. Ennis Murry Bankhead was first reported as missing in action and subsequently reported as Killed in Action on a bombing raid in 1943. His mother received a telegram from the War Department on Sunday, October 31, 1943 stating that they had received information from the International Red Cross that her son was a prisoner of war of the German government.
SSgt. Ennis Murry Bankhead died as a Prisoner of War on Friday, September 3,1943 and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, posthumously.
Service No.(ASN): 38220710
Unit 349th Bomber Squadron, 100th Bomber Group, Heavy
Rank Staff Sergeant U.S. Army Air Forces
Entered Service From Texas
Date of Death September 3 1943
Buried Plot B Row 20 Grave 64
Epinal American Cemetery
Recipient of the Purple Heart
--
Flying in a B-17 named "Torchy" which took off from Thorpe Abbotts, England. They were assigned a primary target, the Renault Works at Paris, which was completely obscured and secondary target Beaumont Le Roger air field was attacked. His aircraft collided with another aircraft in the group over Beaumont at about 0920 hrs after the other had been severely damaged by enemy action. Its props cut into the tail assembly killing him where he was serving as the tail gunner.
Crew Members of B-17G # 42-30035, named "Torchy,":
WINKELMAN, Charles B. - P
SMITH, Ralph D - CP
BOOTH, William H. - NAV
HARRIS, Howard M. - BOM
COMBS, Thomas E. - TTE
RAY, Jean E. - ROG
CUCCARO, Thomas L. - BTG
DARCY, Michael F. - WG
ZEOLI, Alfred J. - WG
BANKHEAD, Ennis M. - TG
NOTE: There are several stories regarding the death of SSGT Bankhead. The Collision story was first; later was the story from the pilot; and then that he had died as a POW.
The crew finished training and deployed to England, arriving there on August 25, 1943. Records reveal the first mission was flown on September 3, 1943. The target was the Renault Company plants in Paris, with secondary targets the Beaumont le Roger Airfield nearby. A controversy now erupts in the telling of the demise of this aircraft. Records of the 100th Bomb Group state that after receiving heavy flak and possible damage, B-17 # 42-30089, named "Sunny," came upwards unexpectedly and collided with this aircraft. The propellers cut into the tail section and killed the tail gunner in his station.
A later interview with the pilot (plus other sources) tell a different story. These state that the aircraft was hit by flak and lost an engine. A fire erupted, and the aircraft was out of control. The crew bailed out, and all made safe landings. Seven of the crew managed to evade, and return to military control. Two became POWs, and Bankhead was declared dead, killed in the accident.
Other records (including NARA POW records,) show Bankhead was captured, and died of wounds in prison camp as a POW. One even shows he received the POW Medal. A Texas newspaper has an article concerning how Bankhead's mother received a telegram that he was a prisoner, but died.
*****************
SSgt. Ennis Murry Bankhead was first reported as missing in action and subsequently reported as Killed in Action on a bombing raid in 1943. His mother received a telegram from the War Department on Sunday, October 31, 1943 stating that they had received information from the International Red Cross that her son was a prisoner of war of the German government.
SSgt. Ennis Murry Bankhead died as a Prisoner of War on Friday, September 3,1943 and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, posthumously.
Service No.(ASN): 38220710
Unit 349th Bomber Squadron, 100th Bomber Group, Heavy
Rank Staff Sergeant U.S. Army Air Forces
Entered Service From Texas
Date of Death September 3 1943
Buried Plot B Row 20 Grave 64
Epinal American Cemetery
Recipient of the Purple Heart
--
Flying in a B-17 named "Torchy" which took off from Thorpe Abbotts, England. They were assigned a primary target, the Renault Works at Paris, which was completely obscured and secondary target Beaumont Le Roger air field was attacked. His aircraft collided with another aircraft in the group over Beaumont at about 0920 hrs after the other had been severely damaged by enemy action. Its props cut into the tail assembly killing him where he was serving as the tail gunner.
Crew Members of B-17G # 42-30035, named "Torchy,":
WINKELMAN, Charles B. - P
SMITH, Ralph D - CP
BOOTH, William H. - NAV
HARRIS, Howard M. - BOM
COMBS, Thomas E. - TTE
RAY, Jean E. - ROG
CUCCARO, Thomas L. - BTG
DARCY, Michael F. - WG
ZEOLI, Alfred J. - WG
BANKHEAD, Ennis M. - TG
NOTE: There are several stories regarding the death of SSGT Bankhead. The Collision story was first; later was the story from the pilot; and then that he had died as a POW.
Ennis Murry Bankhead, son of Johnny and Ruby Carman Phillips Bankhead, was born on August 16, 1920 in Cunningham, Lamar County, Texas. He was employed at J. C. Penney Co. in Paris and Muskogee, Oklahoma prior to entering the U.S. Army Air Corps.
The crew finished training and deployed to England, arriving there on August 25, 1943. Records reveal the first mission was flown on September 3, 1943. The target was the Renault Company plants in Paris, with secondary targets the Beaumont le Roger Airfield nearby. A controversy now erupts in the telling of the demise of this aircraft. Records of the 100th Bomb Group state that after receiving heavy flak and possible damage, B-17 # 42-30089, named "Sunny," came upwards unexpectedly and collided with this aircraft. The propellers cut into the tail section and killed the tail gunner in his station.
A later interview with the pilot (plus other sources) tell a different story. These state that the aircraft was hit by flak and lost an engine. A fire erupted, and the aircraft was out of control. The crew bailed out, and all made safe landings. Seven of the crew managed to evade, and return to military control. Two became POWs, and Bankhead was declared dead, killed in the accident.
Other records (including NARA POW records,) show Bankhead was captured, and died of wounds in prison camp as a POW. One even shows he received the POW Medal. A Texas newspaper has an article concerning how Bankhead's mother received a telegram that he was a prisoner, but died.
*****************
SSgt. Ennis Murry Bankhead was first reported as missing in action and subsequently reported as Killed in Action on a bombing raid in 1943. His mother received a telegram from the War Department on Sunday, October 31, 1943 stating that they had received information from the International Red Cross that her son was a prisoner of war of the German government.
SSgt. Ennis Murry Bankhead died as a Prisoner of War on Friday, September 3,1943 and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, posthumously.
Service No.(ASN): 38220710
Unit 349th Bomber Squadron, 100th Bomber Group, Heavy
Rank Staff Sergeant U.S. Army Air Forces
Entered Service From Texas
Date of Death September 3 1943
Buried Plot B Row 20 Grave 64
Epinal American Cemetery
Recipient of the Purple Heart
--
Flying in a B-17 named "Torchy" which took off from Thorpe Abbotts, England. They were assigned a primary target, the Renault Works at Paris, which was completely obscured and secondary target Beaumont Le Roger air field was attacked. His aircraft collided with another aircraft in the group over Beaumont at about 0920 hrs after the other had been severely damaged by enemy action. Its props cut into the tail assembly killing him where he was serving as the tail gunner.
Crew Members of B-17G # 42-30035, named "Torchy,":
WINKELMAN, Charles B. - P
SMITH, Ralph D - CP
BOOTH, William H. - NAV
HARRIS, Howard M. - BOM
COMBS, Thomas E. - TTE
RAY, Jean E. - ROG
CUCCARO, Thomas L. - BTG
DARCY, Michael F. - WG
ZEOLI, Alfred J. - WG
BANKHEAD, Ennis M. - TG
NOTE: There are several stories regarding the death of SSGT Bankhead. The Collision story was first; later was the story from the pilot; and then that he had died as a POW.
The crew finished training and deployed to England, arriving there on August 25, 1943. Records reveal the first mission was flown on September 3, 1943. The target was the Renault Company plants in Paris, with secondary targets the Beaumont le Roger Airfield nearby. A controversy now erupts in the telling of the demise of this aircraft. Records of the 100th Bomb Group state that after receiving heavy flak and possible damage, B-17 # 42-30089, named "Sunny," came upwards unexpectedly and collided with this aircraft. The propellers cut into the tail section and killed the tail gunner in his station.
A later interview with the pilot (plus other sources) tell a different story. These state that the aircraft was hit by flak and lost an engine. A fire erupted, and the aircraft was out of control. The crew bailed out, and all made safe landings. Seven of the crew managed to evade, and return to military control. Two became POWs, and Bankhead was declared dead, killed in the accident.
Other records (including NARA POW records,) show Bankhead was captured, and died of wounds in prison camp as a POW. One even shows he received the POW Medal. A Texas newspaper has an article concerning how Bankhead's mother received a telegram that he was a prisoner, but died.
*****************
SSgt. Ennis Murry Bankhead was first reported as missing in action and subsequently reported as Killed in Action on a bombing raid in 1943. His mother received a telegram from the War Department on Sunday, October 31, 1943 stating that they had received information from the International Red Cross that her son was a prisoner of war of the German government.
SSgt. Ennis Murry Bankhead died as a Prisoner of War on Friday, September 3,1943 and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, posthumously.
Service No.(ASN): 38220710
Unit 349th Bomber Squadron, 100th Bomber Group, Heavy
Rank Staff Sergeant U.S. Army Air Forces
Entered Service From Texas
Date of Death September 3 1943
Buried Plot B Row 20 Grave 64
Epinal American Cemetery
Recipient of the Purple Heart
--
Flying in a B-17 named "Torchy" which took off from Thorpe Abbotts, England. They were assigned a primary target, the Renault Works at Paris, which was completely obscured and secondary target Beaumont Le Roger air field was attacked. His aircraft collided with another aircraft in the group over Beaumont at about 0920 hrs after the other had been severely damaged by enemy action. Its props cut into the tail assembly killing him where he was serving as the tail gunner.
Crew Members of B-17G # 42-30035, named "Torchy,":
WINKELMAN, Charles B. - P
SMITH, Ralph D - CP
BOOTH, William H. - NAV
HARRIS, Howard M. - BOM
COMBS, Thomas E. - TTE
RAY, Jean E. - ROG
CUCCARO, Thomas L. - BTG
DARCY, Michael F. - WG
ZEOLI, Alfred J. - WG
BANKHEAD, Ennis M. - TG
NOTE: There are several stories regarding the death of SSGT Bankhead. The Collision story was first; later was the story from the pilot; and then that he had died as a POW.
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Entered the Service from Texas.
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