Howard R. Hartley was born on July 30, 1918, in Fallon, Churchill County, Nevada. He was the son of Russell Everett Hartley and Mabel Adella Simmonds Hartley. He served in the 587th Bomber Squadron, 394th Bomb Group, Medium, as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of B-26 Marauder #42-96210 during World War II.

On June 14, 1944, B-26 Marauder 42-96210 took off from Station 161 Boreham Airfield, Essex, England, for a mission targeting Cloyes-sur-le-Loir, France. At approximately 07:40 A.M., while flying over the Commune of Saint-Péravy-la-Colombe in the Loiret department, about 12 km southwest of Châteaudun, the aircraft was struck by enemy flak. The anti-aircraft fire critically damaged the plane, causing it to be completely destroyed in the air, and it crashed in the area. All six crew members were killed in action.

1Lt Hartley is now buried in the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery, Oakdale, Stanislaus County, California, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net