42-31352 IRON BIRD

1LT	JOHN W. MAYEK	PILOT
MAJOR	GEORGE A. OXRIDER	CO-PILOT/CO
1LT	HOWARD T. MATTINGLY, JR	NAVIGATOR
1LT	EDWARD V. LESLIE	BOMBARDIER
2LT	JAMES C. HUDSON	TAIL GUNNER
SSGT	WYMOND B. RIDGE	ENGINEER
TSGT	EDWARD J. KREMENTZ	RADIOMAN
SGT	NORMAN H. BURTON	BT GUNNER
SSGT	MARSHALL V. PHILLIPS	LW GUNNER
SSGT	JACK D. BROWNE	RW GUNNER

MAJOR OXRIDER WAS THE GROUP LEADER TO POSEN AND 1LT MAYEK WAS LEAD PILOT. THIS WAS A
VERY LONG MISSION IN DISTANCE AND TIME, SO FUEL WAS A MAJOR CONCERN. THE GROUP FLEW
THE SAME ROUTE TO AND FROM THE TARGET. THE GROUP WAS ATTACKED ON THE WAY BACK FROM
THE TARGET. FIGHTERS ATTACKED FROM EVERY ANGLE; ABOUT 12 FW-190'S OVER LAALAND,
DENMARK AT @ 1502 HOURS. BOTH INBOARD ENGINES OF THE "IRON BIRD" WERE ON FIRE AND THE
PLANE DOVE DOWN TRYING TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. IT PULLED OUT OF THE DIVE, BUT
CRASHED IN THE BALTIC SEA OFF LAALAND. THE ENTIRE CREW PERISHED. ALL THE MEN EXCEPT
OXRIDER, RIDGE, AND HUDSON ARE COMMEMORATED ON THE "WALLS OF THE MISSING" IN
CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND. OXRIDER'S BODY WAS RECOVERED AT GEDSER ON JUNE 6, 1944 AND
BURIED IN THE CEMETERY OF SVINO ON JUNE 28, 1944, AND LATER REINTERRED IN THE CEMETERY
IN ARDENNES. RIDGE'S BODY WASHED UP ON SHORE NEAR ROMO/ODENSE ON JUNE 23, 1944 AND
WAS BURIED IN SVINO ON JUNE 28, 1944, THEN REINTERRED AT ARDENNES. HUDSON'S BODY WAS
RECOVERED ON AUGUST 8, 1944 NEAR PUNITZ ON THE BALTIC SEA. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO RECORD
TO INDICATE IT, HE MAY HAVE BEEN BURIED THERE AND LATER REINTERRED AT ARDENNES.