It seemed the # 3 and # 4 propellars of Lt. Bodmer’s B-24 cut off the tail of Maj. Bradford’s B-24 at a point just behind the waist windows. Maj. Bradford’s B-24 climbed violently and fell into a spin. Lt. Bodmer’s B-24 lost a bomb bay door and fell off onto the right wing, did a half-turn-spin, then spiraled down. Both B-24s hit the water about 200 yards apart and exploded. No parachutes were seen. It was near Bilugynn Island, Bay of Martaban. He is remembered on the memorial wall of the missing in the Manila Cemetery & Memorial, Philippines. A memorial marker was placed in the Rolling Green Memorial Park, Camp Hill, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

 

His brother, Chester A. Kinter, born 5 July 1916, served in the U.S. Army, # 33232865, from 8 June 1942 to 5 October 1945. He died on 21 March 2002 and is buried in the Rolling Green Memorial Park, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

 

His brother, Paul A. Kinter, born 13 September 1925, served from 2 November 1943 to 16 February 1946 in the U.S. Army, # 33872164.

The crew of B-24J, # 44-40992, were:

                                              Pilot                             Maj. Jack Bradford                               0-424404

                                              Co-Pilot                       2ndLt John J. McInerney                     0-889351

                                              Navigator                    2ndLt Robert P. Colgan                       0-690370

                                              Bombardier                  2ndLt Ralph E. Hurd Jr.                      0-701604

                                              Engineer                      TSgt Harry H. Harkins                        18199897

                                              Radio Operator            TSgt John B. Weigand                         37501569

                                              Asst Eng-Gunner         SSgt Charles W. Meitzler                     39409993

                                              “                                  SSgt Andrew B. Aldridge                     39275956

                                              Asst Radio-Oper.         Cpl George M. Johnson Jr.                  32812704

                                              Armorer-Gunner          SSgt John C. Sweet                              31269036

The next-of-kin listed were:

                                       Bradford          Yolanda I. Bradford, W, 1420 E. Bridgeport St, Spokane, WA

                                       McInerney       Avis J. McInerney, M, Rte 1, Fairfield, Montana

                                       Colgan             Edith M Colgan, M, 355 North St, McSherrystown, PA

                                       Hurd                Evelyn Hurd, W, Aurora, OH

                                       Harkins            Mary E Harkins, W, 707 Nile St, Austin, TX

                                       Weigand          William A. Weigand, F, 333 N. Yale St, Wichita, KS

                                       Meitzler           Grace C Meitzler, S, 618 Court St, Woodland, CA