World War II Honoree

Fred G. Fagan

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Piedmont, Alabama

Honored By

Mark Fagan

Relationship

Nephew

HE SERVED AS A MEMBER OF MERRILL'S MARAUDERS, THE 5307TH COMPOSITE UNIT. HE FOUGHT IN 6 MAJOR BATTLES. HE AND 6 OTHER MEN WERE ON A SUPPLY PLANE WITH A MISSION INTO BURMA. ON THE MORNING OF MAY 23, 1944, C-47-A #42-23510, 4TH TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON (OLBINSKI GROUP), LIFTED OFF FROM THE AIRFIELD IN DINJAN, INDIA WITH THE MISSION OF DELIVERING DESPERATELY NEEDED MORTAR SHELLS AND SUPPLIES TO MYITKYINA. WHEN THE PLANE LEFT, THE CEILING WAS 100 FEET, VISIBILITY WAS 1/4 MILE AND THERE WAS RAIN. THE PLANE NEVER MADE IT TO MYITKYINA AND IT NEVER RETURNED TO DINJAN. IN 2002, THE POSSIBLE CRASH SITE WAS DISCOVERED. THIS SITE WAS EXCAVATED IN 2004 AND THE MEN WERE BURIED WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY ON JULY 15, 2010.