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name
MAYNARD, Claiborne Ross - Date of
birth
19 October 1924 -
Age
19 - Place of
birth
Durham, Durham County, North Carolina -
Hometown
Durham, Durham County, North Carolina
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
34609640 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
578th Bombardment Squadron,
392nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
11 September 1944 - Place of
death
At the edge of the woods 400 meters northwest of the village of Winnen, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| J | 9 | 15 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Wanda I. Maynard (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-7466 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Ford's Folly
Destination: Hannover, Germany
Mission: Bombing of an engine factory
MACR: 8850
More information
T/Sgt Claiborne R. Maynard attended the University of North Carolina at the time he enlisted at Camp Croft, South Carolina on 17 March 1943.After the war, a surviving crew member, S/Sgt Odell F. Dobson, gave the following statement: "Going to the target we were attacked by enemy fighters (Me-109s). Number three (3) engine was hit and set afire; fire broke out in the bomb bay and we lost the formation as a result of these damages. The airplane went into a shallow dive and the crew prepared to bail out. Before this could be accomplished, however, the airplane started to spin and crashed."
Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner. Eight were killed. The bodies of two crew members were found about 20 meters from the wreckage and an unknown number of remains were found in the wreckage itself. All were buried by a German army team in the cemetery at Winnen.
T/Sgt Maynard had half his head blown away when a shell hit his turret and exploded. He died from his wounds.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.b24.net/missions/index.htm
Photo source: 392nd Bomb Group, Peter Schouteten, Ronny en Carla Dreesen-Vankerkom