United States of America: Second World War Fifteenth Air Force 1944 operations over Southern Europe B24 Liberator Top Gunner’s Air Medal, reverse bearing official machine engraved naming, awarded to Sergeant John J. Cashen, 746th Bomber Squadron, 456th Heavy Bombardment Group. From Newark, New Jersey, he flew operationally as the Top Gunner of a Consolidated B-24-G Liberator bomber piloted by a 2nd Lieutenant Orville L. Blumhagen, and was posted as missing in action during the outward part of a raid to target in the Balkans area on 16 October 1944. When over the Gulf of Quarnaro, now Kvarnr Gulf in Croatia, his aircraft was seen to go into a tight spin and a few moments later crash in to the sea. There was a big splash but no smoke, and no parachutes were observed to open.
United States of America: Air Medal, reverse bearing official machine engraved naming: ‘SGT. / JOHN J. CASHEN / A.C.’, complete with original ribbon and slot brooch.
Condition: Good Very Fine.
John J. Cashen came from Newark, New Jersey, and saw service during the Second World War as a Sergeant (No.32775566) in the United States Army Air Force. He flew operationally as the Top Gunner in a Consolidated B-24-G Liberator bomber with the 746th Bomber Squadron, a unit of the 456th Heavy Bombardment Group, a unit of the Fifteenth Air Force, that amongst other things, operate over southern Europe including Italy and the Balkans. At this time his squadron was employed on the bombing of German lines of communication, particularly marshalling yards and railroad bridges, and was targeting locations in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland.
Cashen flew in the B-24 Liberator (Serial No;.4278201) piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Orville L. Blumhagen when he and all nine crew members were posted as missing in action off the east coast of Italy during aerial operations on 16 October 1944. His aircraft had taken off from an airfield at Stornara on the Italian mainland and was seen to crash into the Adriatic.
The loss of this aircraft was reported by two tail gunners.
A Sergeant Leo V. Nolan would recall that: ‘Lt. Blumhagen’s plane was flying directly behind our plane. We were on our way to the target and about two thirds across the Adriatic when Lt. Blumhagen’s plane began to lag. At that time we flew into a cloud which caused the plane behind to disappear from view. After we had come out of the cloud I saw a B-24 at 4:00 o’clock, about a mile away. The plane was flying at the same altitude and appeared to be under control. I cannot definitely state that this plan was Lt. Blumhagen’s.’
The other tail gunner, Staff Sergeant Frank S. Miller would recall that: ‘Lt Blumhagen’s plane as flying Dog ten. I was flying as tail gunner on aircraft in Charlie two. At approximately 444SW / 141SE at 0944 we were flying at 14,000 ft, about 1,000 ft above Dog box. Ten aircraft were in Dog box as they went into a cloud formation. I watched them come out of the clouds and there were now nine in the Dog box. At the same time I saw a B-24 go into a tight spin and a few moments later crash in to the sea. There was a big splash but not smoke. I saw no parachutes open. It is my opinion that fallen aircraft was from Dog box.’
The aircraft had crashed into the Gulf of Quarnaro, now Kvarnr Gulf in Croatia. The other crew lost on this occasion in addition to both Cashen and Blumhagen were: 2nd Lt. David G. Grant (Co-pilot); 2nd Lt. Richard I. Collier Jr (Navigator); 2nd Lt. Judson C. Murphy (Bombardier); Sgt. William T. Connerlay (Left Waist Gunner); Sgt. Robert B. Finch (Right Waist Gunner); Sgt. Robert W. Burley (Most Gunner); Sgt. Alfred R. Guzzy (Ball Gunner); and Sgt. Simon J. Blachut (Tail Gunner).
Having no known grave, Cashen is commemorated on the Tablets of the Missing in Florence American Cemetery. He is also entitled to the Purple Heart Medal.
