2Lt. Cochran was the co-pilot of B-24J #44-40811, assigned to the 10th Air Force, 7th Bombardment Group, 492rd Bombardment Squadron.
They were part of a twelve plane formation that departed Madhaiganj, India to knock out the Geang Luang bridge in Burma. Right after bombing the target from about 300 feet the plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on the left wing, which caught fire. The plane drifted to the left, lost altitude and crashed 25 miles southwest of Bhre, Thailand. All aboard were killed.
The crew KIA:
● 1LT Charles E Mead, O-694841, NY, Pilot
● 2LT Louis W Cochran, O-764231, NY, Co-Pilot
● 2LT Frank B Schrump, O-703401, CT, Bombardier
● 2LT Albert J Sita, O-707340, MA, Navigator
● SSGT Santo J Beutecale, 39014707, CA, Aerial Gunner
● SSGT Carl W Eickhorst, 36650569, IL, Asst. Engineer-Gunner
● TSGT Robert E Kooi, 36458906, MI, Flight Engineer
● TSGT Lennard M Litzell, 37307245, MN, Aerial Gunner
● SSGT Russell V Randall, 12031238, NY, Aerial Gunner
● TSGT Leo J Ullmann, 12084339, NY, Radio Operator
● William George Duff, British War Correspondent (RAF Press Officer)
~
Enlisted at Rochester, New York, February 10, 1941.
Cochran had completed over forty missions, received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
He was the son of James and Effie Cochran. He attended Honeoye High School in New York, class of 1934. His wife was Caroline (Green) Cochran, and they had a son named Michael. Cochran was a former employee of Eastman Kodak, he entered the service with the 209th Coast Artillery and transferred to the Air Corps a year later.
They were part of a twelve plane formation that departed Madhaiganj, India to knock out the Geang Luang bridge in Burma. Right after bombing the target from about 300 feet the plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on the left wing, which caught fire. The plane drifted to the left, lost altitude and crashed 25 miles southwest of Bhre, Thailand. All aboard were killed.
The crew KIA:
● 1LT Charles E Mead, O-694841, NY, Pilot
● 2LT Louis W Cochran, O-764231, NY, Co-Pilot
● 2LT Frank B Schrump, O-703401, CT, Bombardier
● 2LT Albert J Sita, O-707340, MA, Navigator
● SSGT Santo J Beutecale, 39014707, CA, Aerial Gunner
● SSGT Carl W Eickhorst, 36650569, IL, Asst. Engineer-Gunner
● TSGT Robert E Kooi, 36458906, MI, Flight Engineer
● TSGT Lennard M Litzell, 37307245, MN, Aerial Gunner
● SSGT Russell V Randall, 12031238, NY, Aerial Gunner
● TSGT Leo J Ullmann, 12084339, NY, Radio Operator
● William George Duff, British War Correspondent (RAF Press Officer)
~
Enlisted at Rochester, New York, February 10, 1941.
Cochran had completed over forty missions, received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
He was the son of James and Effie Cochran. He attended Honeoye High School in New York, class of 1934. His wife was Caroline (Green) Cochran, and they had a son named Michael. Cochran was a former employee of Eastman Kodak, he entered the service with the 209th Coast Artillery and transferred to the Air Corps a year later.
2Lt. Cochran was the co-pilot of B-24J #44-40811, assigned to the 10th Air Force, 7th Bombardment Group, 492rd Bombardment Squadron.
They were part of a twelve plane formation that departed Madhaiganj, India to knock out the Geang Luang bridge in Burma. Right after bombing the target from about 300 feet the plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on the left wing, which caught fire. The plane drifted to the left, lost altitude and crashed 25 miles southwest of Bhre, Thailand. All aboard were killed.
The crew KIA:
● 1LT Charles E Mead, O-694841, NY, Pilot
● 2LT Louis W Cochran, O-764231, NY, Co-Pilot
● 2LT Frank B Schrump, O-703401, CT, Bombardier
● 2LT Albert J Sita, O-707340, MA, Navigator
● SSGT Santo J Beutecale, 39014707, CA, Aerial Gunner
● SSGT Carl W Eickhorst, 36650569, IL, Asst. Engineer-Gunner
● TSGT Robert E Kooi, 36458906, MI, Flight Engineer
● TSGT Lennard M Litzell, 37307245, MN, Aerial Gunner
● SSGT Russell V Randall, 12031238, NY, Aerial Gunner
● TSGT Leo J Ullmann, 12084339, NY, Radio Operator
● William George Duff, British War Correspondent (RAF Press Officer)
~
Enlisted at Rochester, New York, February 10, 1941.
Cochran had completed over forty missions, received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
He was the son of James and Effie Cochran. He attended Honeoye High School in New York, class of 1934. His wife was Caroline (Green) Cochran, and they had a son named Michael. Cochran was a former employee of Eastman Kodak, he entered the service with the 209th Coast Artillery and transferred to the Air Corps a year later.
They were part of a twelve plane formation that departed Madhaiganj, India to knock out the Geang Luang bridge in Burma. Right after bombing the target from about 300 feet the plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on the left wing, which caught fire. The plane drifted to the left, lost altitude and crashed 25 miles southwest of Bhre, Thailand. All aboard were killed.
The crew KIA:
● 1LT Charles E Mead, O-694841, NY, Pilot
● 2LT Louis W Cochran, O-764231, NY, Co-Pilot
● 2LT Frank B Schrump, O-703401, CT, Bombardier
● 2LT Albert J Sita, O-707340, MA, Navigator
● SSGT Santo J Beutecale, 39014707, CA, Aerial Gunner
● SSGT Carl W Eickhorst, 36650569, IL, Asst. Engineer-Gunner
● TSGT Robert E Kooi, 36458906, MI, Flight Engineer
● TSGT Lennard M Litzell, 37307245, MN, Aerial Gunner
● SSGT Russell V Randall, 12031238, NY, Aerial Gunner
● TSGT Leo J Ullmann, 12084339, NY, Radio Operator
● William George Duff, British War Correspondent (RAF Press Officer)
~
Enlisted at Rochester, New York, February 10, 1941.
Cochran had completed over forty missions, received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
He was the son of James and Effie Cochran. He attended Honeoye High School in New York, class of 1934. His wife was Caroline (Green) Cochran, and they had a son named Michael. Cochran was a former employee of Eastman Kodak, he entered the service with the 209th Coast Artillery and transferred to the Air Corps a year later.
Inscription
2LT, 492 AAF BOMB SQ, 7 BOMB GP WORLD WAR II
Gravesite Details
Burial November 22, 1949.
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