This crew was shot down 3 Sep 43 near Paris, France. Seven of this crew evaded capture and returned to Military Control, two were POWs and the Tail Gunner Ennis Bankhead was KIA. This aircraft was involved in the massive collision of 100th aircraft at Paris on 3 Sep 43.

No MACR in national archives files. A/C #42-30035 "TORCHY" Crew was on its first mission - Paris. Apparently a 100th Group a/c came up below the a/c of this crew and one of its props chewed into the tail assembly killing Bankhead.

In 1981 correspondence with Thomas Combs he explained that he became separated from the rest of the crew after bail out. Combs was aided by French patriots and underground. Spent 3 months in Paris then down to southern border and crossed Pyrenees in Dec. and was flown back to England arriving 3 Jan. 1944 exactly 4 months after being shot down.

Winkelman got back about 2 months later. TORCHY was the a/c flown overseas by the crew of Sam L. Barr. It was named after the wife of James R. Brown, navigator of the crew.

Sgt. Bankhead is buried in the Epinal American cemetery.