Vaughn Reaves was born on 27 March 1921, the son of Oscar Monroe Reaves and Lilly Mae Copp.
Missing in Action since 26 November 1943. Memorialized at Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands
427th Bomber Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force
Vaughn Reaves and Cecil M. May, both from Tennessee, were crew members on the B-17G, serial number 42-29955, nicknamed “Mr. Five by Five”, which departed from Molesworth, England and was on a bombardment mission to Bremen, Germany. The airplane was last seen 10 kilometers west of Texel Island, the Netherlands over the North Sea when it dropped out of formation with its wheels down. It appeared to be under control when last seen. The B-17 crashed at Den Helder, the Netherlands. All crew members were killed in action. Previously, Reaves and May had served on the B-17 Vicious Virgin, which performed an air raid on Le Bourget airport outside Paris on August 16, 1943. The picture of Reaves and May was taken after that mission.
Crew members
Pilot Captain Adell A. Cote
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Clarence C. Bixler
Navigator 1st Lt Wilbur R. Barnhill
Bombardier 1st Lt John W. Hull
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner T/Sgt John R. Arter
Assistant Radio Operator/Ball Turret Gunner S/Sgt Cecil M. May
Radio Operator/Gunner T/Sgt Vaughn Reaves
Tail Gunner S/Sgt Paul Gunsauls
Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt John M. Micek
Assistant Engineer/Left Waist Gunner S/Sgt Theodore Gomes
- Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Date of birth: 27 March 1921
- Date of death: 26 November 1943
- County: Greene
- Hometown: Greeneville
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 427th Bomber Squadron, 303rd Bomber Group, Heavy
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
- Burial/Memorial Location: Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands
- Location In Memorial: Pillar IX, Bottom Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Vaughn Reaves
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