Herbert Ben Cummings was born in Sevier County, Tennessee, the son of John Alexander Cummings and Nancy Hale. Siblings: Harlen Cummings, Herman Cummings, and Georgie Cummings.
He enlisted on October 13, 1942, in Fort Oglethorpe, GA
TSgt. Herbert B. Cummings was repatriated back to the United States after the war and funeral services were held January 23,1949, at Zion Hill Baptist Church. Buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Sevier County, TN.
Aircraft B-17G with serial number 42-107105 departed from Chelveston in England in a Heavy bombing mission. The aircraft crashed 4 km south of Gedser (Denmark) over the sea. Herbert B. Cummings was washed ashore on 26 August 1944 at about 1930 hours, 10 km south of Roedby-Havn and was recovered by Danish fisherman. He was initially buried on a Cemetery on Seeland in Denmark.
Statement from S/Sgt Norman G. DeLorme
A/C no. 105 was flying off left wing of A/C no. 602, after leaving Germany, while over the Baltic Sea, at 1539 hours. A/C No. 105 passed under A/C No. 602 and came up under right wing on other side. I saw one man bail out of the nose hatch, and saw his parachute open. A/C No. 105 pulled up and headed toward Sweden. Six more men bailed out and all parachutes opened. The stricken A/C headed back toward Germany and started circling slowly down to the water, reaching, after a span of ten minutes, a point near land. I saw the geyser of water shoot up into the air when the plane struck. It may have been white smoke. All the parachutes came down in the water, and there were no boats nearby.
It is not known whether the ship suffered battle damage from anti-aircraft fire, or enemy aircraft, or whether the loss was due to mechanical failure.
Crew members
Pilot, 2nd L Thaddeus Littlefield
Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt Richard L. Rist
Navigator, 2nd Lt Joseph J. Hibner Jr.
Bombardier, 2nd Lt Pat J. Bastone
Radio Operator, T/Sgt Herbert B. Cummings
Top Turret Gunner, T/Sgt Samuel Glasser
Ball Turret Gunner, S/Sgt Melvin F. Gallaway
Tail Gunner, S/Sgt Thomas J. Davis Jr.
Left Waist Gunner, S/Sgt Earl Caldwell Jr.
Photocourtesty of TogetherWeServed.com
- Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Date of birth: 1 March 1922
- Date of death: 4 August 1944
- County: Knox
- Hometown: Knoxville
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 336th Bomber Squadron, 305th Bomber Group, Heavy
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Burial/Memorial Location: Zion Hill Cemetery, Sevier County, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar VIII, Middle Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Herbert B. Cummings
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