Have come across the grave of T/S Robert Baird in Golden Gate cemetery records. This shows he died
on 13th April 1944.  Does anyone have any further information and is there a connection with 43-4360 ?
 
Thanks
 
Bob

Bob -
Should be 490th Sq.
Mike

Excerpted from "The Burma Bridge Busters", pg 54

Four days later, 12 April 44, two B-25 s piloted by 1st Lieutenants William E. Cook and Joseph P. Divver, took off from Chittagong to bomb Pyu bridge. Ships attacked from altitude of 450 feet. Gunners strafed buildings between rail and road-bridge and south of south bank, fire resulting, meager, inaccurate automatic weapons' fire noted from position near building and between rail- and road-bridge south of south river bank. Divver returned to Kurmitola at 1855 hours. Lieutenant Cook, while returning from the mission, crashed in friendly territory near Chitosi village. Cause of crash unknown. Entire crew of eight killed and the ship demolished. Crew as follows: Lieutenants William E. Cook, J. M. Hardy, Arthur F. Scott, H. T. Clunn, Sergeant's Robert A. Baird, James L. Bankhead, Charles N. Davis, and Norman L. Safford. Weather that day: Southeast Bengal, scattered thunderstorms, moderate-to-severe turbulence, with heavy rain and hail during late afternoon period. Squadron Mission # 219. Bodies of all the crewmembers were recovered and buried on April 14, 1944, with full military rites and in the presence of the entire squadron, at the British Military Cemetery in Dacca, Bengal, India.

Tony Strotman, MSgt (ret.), USAF
Son of T/Sgt Francis E. Strotman, Engineer-Gunner,
491st Bm Sq / 341st Bm Gp (M), Yangkai, China
"USAAF in CBI Tribute" http://www.usaaf-in-cbi.com

Have come across the grave of T/S Robert Baird in Golden Gate cemetery records. This shows he died on 13th April 1944. Does anyone have any further information and is there a connection with 43-4360 ?
Bob

Bob,

I already posted the slight details I had. And, I worked through my tailnumbers listings for '43-4360.' My listings are truly quite limited, but they do not include '4360'.
J. Baugher's tailnumber database (http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserialnumbers.htm) doesn't even reference the block aircraft, with one excemption, from 43-4336 to to 43-4394.
I have MACRs accounting for at least nine 341st BG aircraft lost from within that range of serial numbers, but not for 43-4360. It is listed among the 'armyairforces.com MACR database records for the 341st . However the loss date shown for MACR 4735 is 5/13/44. It is possible the date was incorrectly entered when the MACR was 'officially' filed.

tony