Smith, Blair Wilson – ww2 Pacific

Rank and Name, Staff Sergeant Blair Wilson Smith.

Unit/Placed in, 403rd Bomber Squadron, 43rd Bomber Group, Heavy, United States Army Air Forces.

Blair is born on 13 April 1920 in Dayton, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.

Father, Isaac Daniel Smith.

Mother, Dora Elverda (Lloyd) Smith.

Sister(s), Garnet Dorothy, Crace Elizabeth Smith.

Brother(s), Lawerence C. and Earl G. Smith.

Blair enlisted the service in Pennsylvania with service number # 33135850.

Blair’s Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a B-24 were,

2^nd Lt. Raymond A. Cooley Pilot

2^nd Lt. Dudley R. Yves Co Pilot

2^nd Lt. George E. Archer Navigator

2^nd Lt. Donald F. Grady Bombardier

TSgt. Richer R. Sargant Engineer

SSgt. Norman L. Nell Asst. Engineer

TSgt. Steve Zayac Radio Operator

SSgt. Thomas G. Knight Asst. Radio Operator

SSgt. Blair W. Smith Gunner

SSgt. Joseph M. King Gunner

Blair was KIA/MIA when returning from a mission after bombing enemy targets, ran into severe thunder storms that made them crash in the Finisterre Mountains, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea on 16 April 1944, he is honored with an Air Medal, Purple Heart, Good Combat Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

Blair is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Walls of the missing.

When an individual’s remains have been accounted for by the U.S. Department of Defense, a rosette is placed next to the name on the Wall/Tablet/Court of the Missing to mark that the person now rests in a known gravesite.

Blair and his crewmembers remains were found and they were buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA.

Thanks to, https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/category/the-43rd-bomb-group/

https://pacificwrecks.com/airfields/png/nadzab/index.html

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G91D-R44

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano