Tech Sergeant Raymond N. Kirkendoll - The Lorient Mission - Missing in Action
The story of Tech Sergeant Raymond N. Kirkendoll as contributed by a family member, Bruce Kirkendoll. If you have any photos of Captain Beckham's or Lieutenant Love's crew, please send them to us. The facts presented have been confirmed to be true as far as existing information indicates:
Raymond went by the nickname of “Sarge.” The family gave him the name because as a child, he liked to wear a World War I U.S. Army campaign hat (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_hat). It stuck and to this day, when anyone refers to him, it's always as Sarge and never Raymond.
Raymond took basic training at Davis Monthan Field in Arizona. He was trained as an aviation mechanic and was one of the original members of the 366th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group.
T/Sgt Kirkendoll was assigned to Captain Vance Beckham's crew. Beckham was not scheduled to fly on the Lorient mission. However, for some unknown reason, Floyd Love was without a Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on December 30th, 1942 and my uncle volunteered to go, and, because of the fortunes of war, lost his life. 42-5078 was the first B-17 to be shot down from the 366th Bomb Squadron and second in the 8th Airforce. All the crew names, with the exception of 2nd Lt. Kent Wolfsen, are on the Wall of the Missing at the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial. Wolfsen's name is at Cambridge England for some unknown reason.
My uncle was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and an Air Medal. He did have wings, which may have been presented when the Group was stationed at Muroc, California (Edwards Air Force Base today) prior to going overseas.
Included are eyewitness accounts of several mission participants. Also included is a copy of correspondence from Everett Tribbett, the pilot of 42-5052. If anyone has additional information on mission and crew, I would love to see it. I have been unable to locate any crew photos for either Love or Beckham's crews.
Sincerely,
Bruce Kirkendoll
A picture of indicating the crew and assigned positions of 42-5078:
Previously classified documentation concerning the outcome of the Lorient Mission
A French report on the accident which states that a plane crashed, 6 or 7 paratroopers descended into an area, and there is nothing new to report.
The following are individual reports on the outcome of the Lorient Mission. Please decipher them in the comments if able.
