30 October 1944 Loss of William H Kearns

On the night of the 30th of October 1944, William H Kearns was a passenger on board a transportation flight from Villacoublay (close to Paris) to Querqueville, (close to Cherbourg). He was flying with ten others on a Douglas C-47 Skytrain #43-48592. Due to an electrical fault and lousy weather, the aircraft was following a German radar beam directly to the German Occupied island of Jersey. The pilot believed that flak fire from the German Anti-Aircraft Batteries was an accidental US friendly fire. The C-47 fired identification flares, however, moments later, the C-47 was downed by the German guns. Due to the low altitude, The C-47 ditched into the sea north to Bouley Bay. They survived the landing, but heavy sea conditions resulted in the drowning of all but the pilot.

Fire Fighter Third Class
WILLIAM KEARNS
Service #8520575
U.S. Navy
United States Naval Reserve
USS ATR 2

Loss-of-William-H-Kearns