B24 Liberator "Model T" "Bar-U" Mission 27.
Above is shown the remains of a temporary grave marker. This marked the grave of Sgt. Calvin W. Janes before it was replaced with the beautiful white cross in the Ardennes National Cemetery in Neupre, Belgium.
This had been discarded with many others when the wooden crosses were replaced. We decided to tell the story of this one insignificant piece of alloy. Calvin Janes came from Yuma County, Phoenix, Arizona. He was born in 1923 in Oklahoma, enlisted on 22nd January 1943 and died on 7th July 1944, aged just 21. In his civilian life before joining up he was a construction equipment mechanic. Perhaps it was this love of mechanics that led him to join the American Air Force and fight for his country. Whatever the circumstance it was a military order dated 26th June 1944 that sent Calvin and his fellow crew members from 2nd Combat Crew Replacement Centre to the 392nd Bomb Group and 579th Squadron and sealed their fate. He was one of the waist gunners in a B24 Liberator, #42-52517. Upon the side of the fuselage was the birds name, "Model T" (see photo below courtesy B24.net). This was Calvin Janes first combat mission, and it was to be the last flight of "Model T". Pilot 2nd Lt. William Milliken and Co Pilot 2nd Lt. Robert Darnall were flying the aircraft on a daylight raid over Germany. According to Darnall, the only survivor of the events that followed he related that everyone was at their assigned positions within the bomber when it exploded in mid air. The aircraft had been intercepted by German fighters and during the air battle that followed tail gunner Sgt. Frank Orlando was killed. When the aircraft exploded (hurling Darnall through the fuselage and to his survival), he was with Milliken and radio operator Sgt. George F. Stella Jr. attempting to open the jammed bomb bay doors. The German report of this tragedy is as stark as the events that it relates. Although 8 of the crew of "Model T" died that day they did not stay together. Navigator Charles Euwer, Bombardier David C. Love, Engineer James W. Cothran were finally interred at Neupre with Calvin Janes. The other waist gunner, Jerome R. Lasater lies at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Originally all the dead had been temporarily interred by the Germans at a local cemetery near the crash site at Egeln. Thus the piece of alloy at the top of this page signifies a little bit more than it might to other people. It has marked the last resting place of a young man from Arizona who came to Europe to fight for freedom and paid the supreme price on his first adventure into combat. We are grateful to be able to tell their story. May they rest in peace...
We are very grateful to B24.net who have now been able to put faces to the names of the crew of "Model T".
Above left standing L-R: 2 Lt. William M.Milliken, pilot, 2 Lt. Robert W. Darnall, co-pilot, 2 Lt. Charles T. Euwer, navigator, 2 Lt. David C. Love, Bombadier.
Kneeling L-R: Sgt Metro P Nazelrod (not a member of the crew of the fateful last flight, he appears to have been transferred to another crew. This action thus saved his life! He survived the war to die peacefully in 1988). Sgt. James W. Cothran, Sgt. Frank J. Orlando, Sgt. Jerome F.Stella, Sgt. Calvin W. Janes, Sgt. Jerome R. Lasater.
The photo above right shows two of the ground crew of 579th Squadron with "Model T" in England.