Memorial

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Over the target the airplane was hit by flak, causing a fire in engine #1.

The blast killed the pilot, Lt. Washington and severely wounded the nose gunner, Sgt. John Doyle.

Observers on board other bombers in the formation witnessed the incident, and reported the airplane was seen at 19,000 feet with engine #1 on fire. It was under control, continued diving and exploded when it hit the ground.

One crew member managed to bail out and was taken prisoner, eight men were killed. Their remains were found in the wreckage, badly mutilated and were initially buried at the cemetery of Pierrepont-sur-Avre, France.

Beginning in 1945, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), Army Quartermaster Corps, was the organization tasked with recovering missing American personnel in the European Theater. Following the war, the AGRC disinterred and identified six sets of remains recovered from the cemetery at Pierrepont-sur-Avre. At the time they were unable to account for Allen and one other crewmember.

In 2018, a DPAA recovery team excavated a site near Boussicourt which they believe correlated with Allen’s crash site. While there, they were able to recover possible remains along with other materials believed to be associated with the B-24H. This new evidence, along with previously unidentified remains, were sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis and identification.

To identify Allen’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Allen’s name is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at Ardennes American Cemetery. A rosette is placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

T/Sgt Allen is buried in San Diego, California, on 12 July 2024.