Grice Crew – Assigned 752nd Squadron – August 15, 1944

The Grice crew was assigned to the 458th in mid-August 1944.  After a short indoctrination into the theater, the crew began combat flying at the beginning of September.  Their first mission on September 1st ended up being for no credit as the group was forced to abandon its efforts due to weather over the continent. The crew’s first credited mission was on September 5th to the marshaling yards at Karlsrhue, and was followed over the next week by three more missions to Germany.

In mid-September the 458th came off of combat operations and were tasked with delivering gasoline to Patton’s Army in France.  Grice and select crew members participated in ten of these “Truckin’ Missions”, until the end of the month.  

On the crew’s fifth combat mission, October 7, 1944 to Magdeburg, the crew sustained heavy battle damage in their ship Yankee Buzz Bomb, losing two engines over the Continent.  They made it back to England, but when it was clear that they wouldn’t make Horsham, Lt Grice ordered seven of the crew to bail out.  Grice, co-pilot Cliff Peters and flight engineer Thomas Willingham stayed aboard to attempt a landing.  They found a suitable field near the village of Southrepps, just off the coast near Cromer and about 20 or so miles northeast of the base.  They landed the aircraft in a field without sustaining much more damage.  Six of the crew were shortly rounded up, but gunner Sgt Edward J. Mire was killed when his chute failed to open. The aircraft was eventually repaired and flown back to Horsham. [The aircraft was later flown back to Horsham by personnel from the 3SAD]

Over the next five months, Grice and crew put in their remaining missions, a number of them some of the roughest the group would see during this period: Schoenecken, Harburg, Magdeburg, Peine-Hildesheim, and the group’s 200th mission on February 26, 1945 to Berlin.  Their final combat flight was on March 22, 1945 to Kitzingen.  The majority of these missions (26) were flown in a B-24J named Top O’ The Mark.

At some point in their tour, bombardier Roy C. Grasby, was possibly removed from the crew in order to perform navigation/bombardier (“bombigator”) duties on other crews.  He is not shown on available load lists showing Grice’s crew, but he is shown flying as a navigator on the crew of 2Lt Kendrick E. Ferriell in late February.

At the end of March, the remaining officers of the crew, and the two T/Sgt’s Frazier and Willingham, were transferred to the 32nd Ferry Squadron at Wharton in Lancashire for the purpose of ferrying aircraft.

Top O’ The Mark flew its first mission with the 458th on May 13, 1944.  Almost one year later, on April 25, 1945 – the last day of the air war over Europe – it completed its 108th mission.  The Grice crew flew 26 of their 36 missions in this aircraft.

(Photo Courtesy: Dave Ehnebuske / Painting: Mike Bailey – commissioned for Stephen Adams)

Horsham St Faith – Enlisted Barracks

George Kemp is on the right

(Photo: Tina Williams)

Sgt Edward J. Mire – Killed in Action – October 7, 1944

Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Sunday, December 24, 1945
Page 2

In Loving Memory of Our Darling Son On His 21st Birthday, December 24, 1945. SGT. EDWARD J. MIRE, JR. Killed in Action on October 7, 1944, over England. God bless you on your birthday. May your soul find eternal rest. Forget you son, we never will. Sadly missed by, MOM, DAD AND FAMILY

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Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Sunday, July 30, 1948
Page 2

MIRE – In the service of his country in England, on October 7, 1944, SERGEANT EDWARD J. MIRE, beloved son of Judith Flacon and Edward L. Mire: brother of Lloyd and Robert Mire: aged 19 years; a native of Harvey, La.

Remains arrived in New Orleans Thursday, July 29, 1948 at 9:30 o’clock a.m. via I. C. Railroad and will lie in state from 4 p.m. until service time.

Relatives and friends of the family, also officers and members of David Walter Wiedman Post No. 64, American Legion, John McDonogh Post No. 3121, VFW and other veterans organizations, also employees of the Celotex Corp. are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, which will take place Friday, July 30, 1948, at 9:30 o’clock a.m. from the Algiers funeral home of E. J. Mothe, 1300 Vallette street. Religious services at St. Joseph church. Internment in Hook and Ladder cemetery.

Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Sunday, August 8, 1948
Page 10

“We Wish to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks to relatives, friends and neighbors for the kindness and sympathy shown us at the funeral of our beloved son and brother, SGT. EDWARD J. MIRE. Special thanks to Rev. P. Daigle, assistant pastor of St. Joseph church, also to Mrs. John Romero, Mrs. Merlan / Pertuit and to Mothe funeral home. Many thanks for the beautiful floral offerings. All have our everlasting gratitude.”
-MR. AND MRS. EDWARD L. MIRE AND FAMILY

This entire product and/or portions thereof are copyrighted by NewsBank and/or the American Antiquarian Society. 2004. Source: GenealogyBank.com
(News articles courtesy: Tony Brooks via Kim and Virginia Vaught)

Mire Tomb, Hook and Ladder Cemetery – Gretna, Louisiana

Click picture on right for larger image

Memorial

Derick Grey holds the sign that will be placed next to a tree, planted to honor Sgt Mire, near the spot where the Liberator landed.

See more about this incident and Derek Grey here: The Southrepps Liberator, under the Stories page