Joseph (Joe) Newton Armstrong was killed in action. He was a gunner on a Martin B-26 Marauder bomber with serial number 43-34238, named Erma. He departed from Dijon Airbase in France and was shot down after a mission over Neckarelz, Germany on his 49th mission to Neckarelz railroad bridge. The aircraft crashed one and a half km northwest of Achern/Baden.
Statement from S/Sgt Harold L. Myers:
I was in the top turret of No. 6 ship. I saw two ME 109’s coming in. To me they looked like they were on our tail. They came in too low for the turret guns. One broke a little to the right and high and I started to shoot until the plane went out of range of turret guns. Then all of a sudden, I saw pieces of one of our planes, no. 73, flying through the air. The ME 109 broke fast and peeled off. The ship that was hit, no. 73, fell back a little, then peeled off for a second and then went into a spin. This was the last I saw of the plane, as fighters were coming in.
Crew members
Pilot, 2nd Lt Lane E. Spence
Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt George E. Williams
Bombardier, 2nd Lt John R. Steward
Radio Gunner, Sgt Peter J. Yanko
Engineer Gunner, Cpl Joseph A. Renaldi
Armorer Gunner, Sgt Joe N. Armstrong
Photographer, Sgt Johnny C. Cault
He was a 1938 graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan College.
- Rank: Sergeant
- Date of birth: 29 April 1924
- Date of death: 23 December 1944
- County: Hamilton
- Hometown: Red Bank
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 17th Bombardment Group
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Chattanooga Memorial Park, Chattanooga, Hamilton County, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XII, Top Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Joe N. Armstrong
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