Geoge Joseph Murphy was born on July 10, 1921, in Wilmington, Delaware. He was the son of James F. Murphy and Estella C. Hedley Murphy, who resided at 2 Westmoreland Avenue, Richardson Park, Wilmington, Delaware.
George enlisted in the Army on September 23, 1942, in Camden, New Jersey. He was noted as being employed in construction and also as Single, without dependents. At the time of his death, he was serving in the 340th Bomber Squadron, 97th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Left Waist Gunner on the B-17G #42-31044 'Her Did' during World War II. On February 14, 1944, at 09:55h, his crew took off from Amendola airfield in Italy for a mission to bomb the Verona marshaling station in Italy. Hit by enemy fighters near the objective with two engines out of order, they diverted to Corsica, France. They were able to shoot down a Me109 fighter, but their pilot was forced to land with four engines out of order around 3:05 PM. Their plane landed at the northeast foot of Calvi Citadel. Six members were able to escape the airplane, but the other three members sank with the airplane as they were already killed during the fighter attack. SSgt Murphy was one of the casualties.
SSgt Murphy was originally declared "Missing In Action," along with two other airmen. His remains have been recovered and were interred in the Cathedral Cemetery, Wilmington, Delaware. His name is permanently inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery in Italy.
#42-31044 crew members:
Second Lieutenant Frank G. Chaplick - Pilot (Survived)
Second Lieutenant Warder H. Skaggs - CoPilot (Survived)
Second Lieutenant Thomas M. Cowell - Navigator (Survived)
Second Lieutenant Armand C. Sedgeley - Bombardier (Survived)
T/Sgt Robert H. Householder - Radio Operator (Killed in Action)
S/Sgt George J. Murphy - Left Waist Gunner (Killed in Action)
S/Sgt Tony Duca - Tail Gunner (Killed in Action)
T/Sgt Joseph P. Baron - Right Waist Gunner (Survived)
T/Sgt Frank E. Bradley - Mechanic (Survived)
S/Sgt Orville F. Grilliot - Ball Turret Gunner (Survived)
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net