Ernest R. Barton, Jr. was born in 1923 in Massachusetts. He resided in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on March 2, 1943, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as an express agent and also as Single, without dependents.

Ernest, Jr. served in the 860th Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Technical Sergeant and Engineer on the B-17G #43-38115 'Reluctant Lassie' during World War II. He was killed in the explosion of his airplane during a mission in Germany on September 30, 1944.

B-17G #43-38115 took off, with a crew of 9, from Station 152, England, on a bombing mission over Bielefeld, Germany. Near the target, they were believed to have been hit by bombs dropped from another B-17 that was above them causing his aircraft to explode and crash near Wellenkotten, Germany. Only one parachute was seen leaving B-17G #43-38115. The debris, due to the explosion of B-17G #43-38115, also caused B-17G #43-38480 to crash as well.

TSgt Barton is now buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA.

Airmen who perished on B-17G #43-38115:
Barton, Ernest R, Jr. ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, MA
Gage, Stanton ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, TX
Moss, Carroll E. ~ Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, MD
Spatarella, Enrico J. ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, NY
Stamps, Carrel W. ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, OK
Tourtellott, Theodore ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, IL
Treece, Daniel R. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, NJ
Welsh, James G. ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, NY

The only crew member to survive this crash was 2nd Lt. Artemon P. Johnston, the Navigator.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com