Max Worley Denton was the son of Clarence Jesse Denton and Myra Hopkins. He was married to Grace Ann Muleoby.
Staff Sergeant Max W. Denton, US Army Air Forces, was assigned to the 816th Bombardment Squadron, 483rd Bomber Group Heavy, based at Sterparone, Italy.
He was killed in action 21 March 1945 and is interred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium, plot C, row 5, grave 31.
Aircraft B-17G with serial number 44-6552 departed from Sterparone, Italy on a combat mission to Southeast Goods Depot in Vienna.
Statement of 2nd Lt George A. Gammon, Co-Pilot of ship #44-8113:
I saw ship #44-6552, piloted by Lt. Venable, before, at the time of the flak hit, and all the way down after the flak hit. The plane was flying number four position in the high box. The plane was on the bomb run and no bombs had been dropped by the box when I saw the plane hit in the tail and rear waist section. Plane had right horizontal stabilizer missing and rudder was flapping out of control. Plane pulled up out of formation, did a slow roll and immediately started a tight spin. Plane went into a vertical dive and then into a tight spiral. When last seen plane was in a flat spin during which time one man jumped from the waist section, parachute partially opened. Plane was very low when last seen, seeming to have about three thousand to five thousand feet altitude.
Crew members
Pilot, 2nd Lt Albert J. Venable
Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt Paul D. Casey
Navigator, F/O Steve Krelic
Bombardier, 2nd Lt Keith A. McDonell
Top Turret Gunner, T/Sgt Everett E. Harrolle
Right Waist Gunner, Sgt Hans W. Kloss
Right Waist Gunner, T/Sgt Charles W. Sutton
Ball Turret Gunner, S/Sgt John J. Busick
IW, S/Sgt Claude G. Jackson
Tail Gunner, S/Sgt Max W. Denton
The Bristol Herald Courier, 14 April 1946
S-Sgt. Max W. Denton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Denton, Rt. 4, Bristol, Ten., has recently been listed as dead by the War Department after having been missing one year. The following letter from the War Department carries the circumstances of his fate:
“Since your son, Staff Sergeant Max W. Denton, Army Air Corps, was reported missing in action March 21, 1944, the War Department has entertained the hope that he survived and that information would be revealed dispelling the uncertainty surrounding his absence. However, as in many cases, the condition of warfare deny us such information. The record concerning your son shows that he was a crew member of a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber which departed from its base at Sterparone, Italy March 21, 1945 on a combat mission to Nienna, Austria. At approximately 1 p.m., while the plane was making its bomb run, it received a direct hit in the tail and rear waist section. The ship went out of control immediately, and was last seen at approximately three to five thousand feet altitude. One parachute was seen to emerge. The five surviving crew members have no definite information concerning the fate of your son. Full consideration has recently been given to all available information bearing on the absence of your son, including all records, reports and circumstances. These have been carefully reviewed and considered. In view of the fact that twelve months have not expired without the receipt of evidence to support a continued presumption of survival, the War Department must terminate such absence by a presumptive finding of death. Accordingly an official finding of death has been recorded. The finding does not establish an actual or probable date of death; however as required by law, it includes a presumptive date of death for the terminations of pay and allowances, settlements of accounts and payment of death gratuities. In the case of your son this date has been set as March 22, 1946, the day following the expiration of twelve months absence. I regret the necessity for this message but trust that the ending of a long period of uncertainty may give at least some small measure of consolation. I hope you may find sustaining comfort in the thought that the uncertainity with which war has surrounded the absence of your son has enhanced the honor of his service to his country and of his sacrifice.”
- Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Date of birth: 2 April 1922
- Date of death: 21 March 1945
- County: Sullivan
- Hometown: Bristol
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 816th Bomber Squadron, 483rd Bomber Group, Heavy
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XVIII, Top Panel
- Sponsored by: Max Jackson
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