1st Lieutenant Thomas “Tom” Hugh Durkin O-662252

1st Lieutenant Thomas “Tom” Hugh Durkin O-662252 Army Air Corps KIA. He was born on April 6, 1918 in Waukegan, Illinois the son of Joseph Durkin and  Katherine Durkin.  He attended Lake Forest College Class of 1939. He entered the Army Air Corps on June 24, 1941, at the age of 23. At the time of his enlistment he was 6 foot tall weighed 155 pounds had brown eyes and brown hair. He served for Six months in the Field Artillery at Camp Roberts, California. Enlisted in the Army Air Corps in December 1941. Received Bombardier wings and commission on July 24, 1942. He went overseas in September 1942. He served in the 90th Bomber Group, 319th Bomber Squadron on B-24D #41-23688. He was stationed at Port Moresby, New Guinea and Darwin, Australia. Tom and crew accredited with 15 Japanese planes shot down in 200 hours of combat flying over six month period. Tom made Chief Bombardier of his squadron. On first mission Tom destroyed a Japanese transport. Also accredited with destruction of much Japanese military and naval installations and shipping. All the crew of his B-24 was lost when rammed in mid-air by a Japanese plane off-shore from their target, Macassar in the Dutch Celebes Islands. Their bomber and the Japanese plane both sank upon hitting the water. He was Killed in Action off the Dutch Celebes Islands on June 23, 1943, at the age of 25. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal with oak leaf cluster  Purple Heart  American Campaign Medal Distinguished Unit Citation Good Conduct Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal World War Two Victory Medal.

1st Lieutenant Thomas “Tom” Hugh Durkin O-662252 Army Air Corps KIA. He was born on April 6, 1918 in Waukegan, Illinois the son of Joseph Durkin and  Katherine Durkin.  He attended Lake Forest College Class of 1939. He entered the Army Air Corps on June 24, 1941, at the age of 23. At the time of his enlistment he was 6 foot tall weighed 155 pounds had brown eyes and brown hair. He served for Six months in the Field Artillery at Camp Roberts, California. Enlisted in the Army Air Corps in December 1941. Received Bombardier wings and commission on July 24, 1942. He went overseas in September 1942. He served in the 90th Bomber Group, 319th Bomber Squadron on B-24D #41-23688. He was stationed at Port Moresby, New Guinea and Darwin, Australia. Tom and crew accredited with 15 Japanese planes shot down in 200 hours of combat flying over six month period. Tom made Chief Bombardier of his squadron. On first mission Tom destroyed a Japanese transport. Also accredited with destruction of much Japanese military and naval installations and shipping. All the crew of his B-24 was lost when rammed in mid-air by a Japanese plane off-shore from their target, Macassar in the Dutch Celebes Islands. Their bomber and the Japanese plane both sank upon hitting the water. He was Killed in Action off the Dutch Celebes Islands on June 23, 1943, at the age of 25. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal with oak leaf cluster  Purple Heart  American Campaign Medal Distinguished Unit Citation Good Conduct Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal World War Two Victory Medal.

The other crew members were:

Cole, Robert F T/Sgt, CA

Enders, Robert K  T/Sgt, IN

Hudspeth, Frank A  S/Sgt, NC

Muscato, Harold  S/Sgt, IA

Olsen, Roy W  Capt, Pilot, IA

Setterblade, Russell R 2nd Lt, IL

Simon, William C  S/Sgt, WA

Strong, Kenneth F 2nd Lt, CA

 

1- LAKE FOREST COLLEGE WORLD WAR Two MILITARY RECORDS