41-34955 crash in Belgium

ORIGINAL: Alain

On 25/12/1944  B-26 41-34955 from 323BG-453BS was hit by AAA fire and crashed near  St-Vith Belgium. One of the crewmembers Sgt Hayden Raymond " Ray" M became POW. Who were the other crewmembers and what happened with them ? The MACR is 11488

 
This request is a bit tricky...M/Sgt Raymond M. Hayden of 453rd BS is not listed at NARA as POW. The mission to St. Vith Strong Point on December 25th 1944 involved 42 Marauders from 323rd BG, according to history sixteen aircraft were damaged and two men were wounded. No aircraft lost.
 
B-26 Marauder 41-34955 YU-T "Mission Belle" of 455th BS was shot down after being hit by flak between engine and fuselage when turning off target in Belgium, Houffalize Strong Point, on December 26th 1944 (MACR 11488). It had 149 missions (see attached photoscan). The aerial distance between St.Vith and Houffalize is about 20 miles, St. Vith located NE of Houffalize. 13 aircraft of 52 receieved battle damage.
 
Missing in action were:

• 1st Lt. Fox
  
• 2nd Lt. Grillo
  
• Sgt. Hackworth
  
• S/Sgt. Leibensperger => KIA (Netherlands Cemetery, according to list)
  
• 1st. Lt. Pearson
  
• S/Sgt. Vance 

Alain,
 
Please note that the crew pictured in the attached photos are NOT the crew that was onboard when the plane was shot down.
 
These pictures are actually of the original crew that picked the plane up when it was brand new in Baltimore, Maryland, flew it to England & eventually provided the plane with its name. 
 
This crew & plane #41-34955 actually had a pretty good run of luck while they were based out of Earls Colne in England, as the “Belle” was the 1^st Marauder to reach 25, 50 and then 75 missions.  They were in a close race with another B-26, the “Mild & Bitter” of the 322^nd BG to see who could be the 1^st Marauder to get to 100 missions… with the winner getting to go back to the States for a planned War Bond Tour.  But, unfortunately “The Belle” was shot up pretty bad during a mission shortly after reaching the 75^th milestone & was down for repairs, and the “Mild & Bitter” caught up & passed them to take the honor of going back State side.  If you research the “Mild & Bitter”, you’ll find it had a remarkable record of over 300 combat hours with no injuries to the crew and the plane itself was never disabled.  The “Mission Belle” wasn’t near as fortunate.
 
To my knowledge, the entire crew pictured survived their combat tour and returned home.  The pilot, then Lt. Merle E Parkinson, died in a C-54 Transport crash near Goose Bay, NF in 1947.  The remainder of the men pictured lived until old age.
 
Just thought you might like to know.