42-93379

 

On 14 December 1944, a C-47A, # 42-93379, assigned to 10th Air Force, 3rd Combat Cargo Group, 12th Combat Cargo Squadron, departed the Ledo airfield to site 281 and to return. It crashed in Burma during the mission and all aboard were killed. The last contact was by radio with Sgt Floyd F. Higgins, # 19103396, at 1420 hours local. Those crew and cargo droppers (also known as “kickers” – assigned to Quartermaster Air Supply, Dinjan) were:

 

                                             Pilot                             1stLt Ray Monroe Roberts                  0-710513

                                             Co-Pilot                       2ndLt William Edward Kane              0-821501

                                             Radio Operator            Sgt Donald A. Callahan                      36729516

                                             Cargo Dropper             PFC William E. Taylor                       32759381

                                             “                                   PVT John C. Meyers                           35221907

                                             “                                   PVT Stephen C. Olason                      37555802

The next-of-kin were listed as:

                                            Roberts            Laura A. Roberts, M, Franklinton, LA

                                            Kane                Margaret S. Kane, M, 96 Gaylord Ave, Holyoke, Mass.

                                            Callahan          William J. Callahan, F, 7755 S. Ada St, Chicago, IL

                                            Taylor              Mary E. Taylor, M, 433 Willow St, Bordentown, NJ

                                            Meyers             Marietta P. Meyers, W, 1684 Oakridge Drv, Dayton, OH

                                            Olason             Ellen Olason, M, Rte 54, Hensal, ND

ROBERTS, RAY MONROE, First Lieutenant, # 0-710513, USAAF

 

Ray M. Roberts was born to Laura A. Roberts; in 1942 of Franklinton, Louisiana, he attended Louisiana State University, Baton Rougle, Louisiana. He completed flight schools through advanced training and was multi-engine rated. He earned his commission and pilot wings. He was sent overseas to India. On 14 December 1944, a C-47A, # 42-93379, assigned to 10th Air Force, 3rd Combat Cargo Group, 12th Combat Cargo Squadron, departed the Ledo airfield to site 281 and to return. It crashed in Burma during the mission and all aboard were killed. The last contact was by radio with Sgt Floyd F. Higgins, # 19103396, at 1420 hours local. The remains of the crewmen (Roberts, Callahan, Meyers, Olason, & Kane) were indistinguishable and they were buried in a common ceremony and graves in the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louiseville, Kentucky, on 28 September 1949 (Sec. E, Graves 167-168).