U.S. Army Air Force Radio Operator
781st Bomb Squadron (H), 465th Bomb Group (H), 15th Air Force
Corporal Charles H. Duffield Jr. 33783118
Killed In Action - February 5th 1945
THE LOSS OF YELLOW "H"
On February 5th 1945 B-24H 42-52503 took off with her crew from Pantanella Air Base, Italy.
The target was a bombing mission to Regensburg, Germany.
After the mission was completed, Yellow "H" returned to her base in Italy. At approximately 1330, Yellow "H"
was lost over the Adriatic Sea. The official report states that the aircraft was lost due to a shortage of
gasoline and engine trouble.

The remains of the aircraft have not been found and all 10 crew members are sill listed as Missing In Action
(MIA).
The President of The United States of America condolence letter, above photo.
When a service member was Killed In Action (KIA) the President sent an official condolence letter.
The letter pictured above was sent to the next of kin, Duffield's father and is auto-pen signed by
Harry S. Truman. The auto-pen is an officially endorsed mechanical duplicate of a signature.
Mailing label of the shipping tube, above photo.
Cpl Duffield Jr's next of kin was his father:
Mr. Charles H. Duffield Sr., 930 Ormond Avenue, Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Crew training, above photo
Top Row: 2nd Lt. Murry Rosenblatt, Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. William Irwin Dobbs O-929309 (KIA),
Pilot 2nd Lt. Robert Charlton Jones O-831211 (KIA), Navigator 2nd Lt. Arthur Silver O-2069190 (KIA)
Bottom Row: Radio Operator Cpl Charles H. Duffield Jr. 33783118 (KIA), Engineer Cpl Howard M.
Fox 12189228 (KIA), Gunner Cpl Carrol E. Elmore 39472383 (KIA), Arm. Gnr. Cpl Roscoe E. Fee
14157607 (KIA), Gunner Cpl Bearnard J. Reardon 11140990 (KIA), Gunner Cpl Vernon M. Elsworth
39141487 (KIA).

Not pictured in this photo and killed on February 5th 1945:
Bombardier 2nd Lt. Joseph Ezekiel Ormes O-780279

2nd Lt. Murray Rosenblatt (pictured above) was not killed with this crew on February 5th 1945.
Reverse of crew picture, above photo.
B-24H 42-52503, above left and right photo.
"Belle Ringer" was also known as Yellow "H".