S/Sgt. Frank N. Doria KIA
Hometown: Shreveport Louisianna
Squadron: 67th BS 44th Bomb Group
Service #12039389
Awards:Air Medal, Purple Heart
Pilot Robert W. Blaine KIA

MACR #4401
Target: Targets of Opportunity near Rouen, France
Mission Date: 8-Mar-43
Serial Number: # 41-23988
Aircraft Model B-24D-15-CO
Aircraft Letter: DOUBLE PLAYMATE
Aircraft Name:
Location: Le Plex, near Sier ville France
Cause: FW 190s fighters Crew of 11 10KIA 1POW
Notes:

Lt. Blaine's aircraft was the second 67th Squadron ship to go down, several minutes after Capt. Price's. Lt. Leo O. Frazier, navigator on this aircraft, was the only survivor and he was, at first, also officially reported KIA. He said: "Due to the fact that we did not have a full crew at the morning briefing, we were not scheduled to go on this mission. However, we finally made up a crew and were assigned to go. And, as a make-up crew, we did not fly our regular position and were assigned to the fourth ship in the last formation. At that time it was called ‘Coffin Corner', but it did not bother us as it looked like an easy mission with fighter protection. However, this did not turn out to be correct as we moved positions when the lead ship aborted and we were not met by our fighters, but the fighters of Goering's Flying Circus. "On their initial attack, they shot down the lead plane and came on through and got our plane as well. I was the only survivor from our crew and when I landed on the ground I was met by a group of German soldiers and was captured. I served the duration in Stalag Luft III POW Camp. "The reason that we went down is that we were hit by fighters from about 2 o'clock, high, with a cannon shell exploding in the cockpit. I am sure that the co-pilot, Lt. Roetto, was killed instantly, but the pilot lived long enough to press the bail out alarm button. I was the only one that bailed out. What happened to the others I am not sure about, but I was told the airplane (with one half of the tail knocked off) went into a flat spin that caused centrifugal force, preventing the others – if alive – from jumping. I saw the ship after I left the hospital and it had not exploded, even with the bombs still aboard."

This aircraft crashed at Le Plex, near Sier ville. Lt. Cameron took over the formation lead, selected a target of opportunity (a railroad yard) and bombed it. Jim O'Brien recalls this mission: "On the Rouen mission when Clyde Price and Bob Blaine went down in a hail of fire from those 35-40 FW 190s attacking head on, I think the fickle finger of fate interceded to take me out of that lead position. Jim Posey and I, in the "Rugged Buggy" were leading the Group and had just completed the assembly over Shipdham when S/Sgt. John Husselton, the waist gunner, fainted in the back of the ship. Posey and I decided to relinquish the
lead and take Husselton back to the base. We deposited Husselton to a waiting ambulance and took off again with the nine-crew members to catch the 44th just as they were crossing the Channel. From the rear end of the formation, we saw the carnage up front. We would have all gone down if it had not been for the Polish squadron of Spitfires that chased away the Germans. "I had many odd experiences with the fickle finger of fate, but I always felt I owed Husselton something for taking us out of that lead position on the Rouen Raid although there was no joy in the loss of the two 67th crews. It was kind of a Russian roulette we played as stated by John Muirhead in ‘Those Who Fall.

DOUBLE PLAYMATE Crew
Robert W. Blaine Pilot KIA
Robert W. Blaine Pilot KIA
Lawrence J. Roetto Co Pilot KIA
Leo Odean Frazier Navigator POW
Thomas C. Mayen Bombardier KIA
George L. Nored Engineer KIA
George L. Nored Engineer KIA
Oscar Kreissig Radio Op. KIA
Donald J. Williams Gunner
Norman A. Breniser Gunner KIA
Frank N. Doria Gunner KIA
Edward Sufka Gunner KIA
Benjamin F. White Jr. Gunner KIA