Date & Time:
Jun 6, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
42-96050
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
4
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Boreham at 0505LT with several others airplanes on a mission to France (D-Day). While flying over the county of Kent in low visibility, the bomber collided with another Martin B-26 Marauder of the USAAF. Registered 42-96263, it was also carrying a crew of six. Following the collision, the first B-26 dove into the ground and crashed in an orchard, killing all six crew members. The second B-26 crashed at Corporation Road in Gillingham. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and six houses were destroyed as well. All six crew members and four people on the ground were killed.
Crew (394th BG):
Lt Witcher Terrell Berger,
Lt Warren D. Rodgers,
Sgt Edward H. Monaghan,
Sgt George S. Knight,
Sgt Alfred M. Zussa,
Cpl Forrest W. Pafenberg.
Civilians who perished in Gillingham:
Fanny F. Whittingham,
Joan Beatrice Ada Taylor,
Percy Montague Williams,
George Thomas William Gandon.
Source: ASN
Crew (394th BG):
Lt Witcher Terrell Berger,
Lt Warren D. Rodgers,
Sgt Edward H. Monaghan,
Sgt George S. Knight,
Sgt Alfred M. Zussa,
Cpl Forrest W. Pafenberg.
Civilians who perished in Gillingham:
Fanny F. Whittingham,
Joan Beatrice Ada Taylor,
Percy Montague Williams,
George Thomas William Gandon.
Source: ASN
