Harris Finis Ewing, Jr.

Name:

Finis Ewing, Jr. Harris

Rank:

First Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-680442

Unit:

422nd Bomber Squadron, 305th Bomber Group, Heavy

Date of Death:

1944-12-15

State:

Tennessee

Cemetery:

Cambridge American Cemetery, United Kingdom

Plot:

D

Row:

5

Grave:

28

Decoration:

Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart

Comments:

Finis Ewing Harris, Jr. was born in 1922. He was the son of Finis Ewing Harris and Margaret Elizabeth Harned Harris.

1Lt Harris volunteered in June 1943 and was inducted into the service at Biloxi, MS. He received his preflight training at Kelly Field, Dallas, TX, primary training at Chickasha, OK, basic at Enid, OK, advanced at Pampa, TX, where he received his wings in May 1943. He went to England in August 1943 and was pilot of a B26, later being transferred to a Flying Fortress. He was the Pilot of the B-17 43-38973 at the time of his death.

On December 15, 1944, B-17G Flying Fortress 43-38973 of the 305th Bomb Group, 422nd Bombardment Squadron based at Chelveston, was returning from a bombing mission over the marshaling yards at Kassel in Germany. It had been badly damaged, and one engine was out. The aircraft managed to return from the raid but once over the coast, it began to have difficulty in maintaining height. The problems were compounded by a complete blanket of fog over England.

Not sure of their position, they flew lower and lower and eventually collided with the Air Ministry GEE mast on Borough Hill, Daventry. The port wing was severed during the collision, and the aircraft crashed at Norton Fields, killing the crew of nine.

1Lt Harris is now buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, https://www.sywellaviationmuseum.org.uk