Originally buried with his four crewmates. Eventually, four of the crew members were identified through DNA testing and one through process of elimination. In 2007, they were all given military funerals and reinterred: Biggs in the Salem Cemetery in his hometown of Freestone, Texas, one in Zachary Taylor, and the other three in Arlington National Cemetery.
The only son of Benjamin French Biggs and Mary Ann Rife. On 5 February 1942, he married Mary Nan Manning in Teague, Texas.
Served in both the Normandy and Rhineland Campaigns.
"1st Lt. Biggs served with the 309th Troop Carrier Squadron, 309th Troop Carrier Group, 8th Army Air Force. The unit was based at RAF Spanhoe (Army Air Force Station 493), based near Uppingham, Northamptonshire, England. On 21 September 1944, he was aboard a C-47A (tail number 42-93029) crewed by five AAF airmen. The aircraft was delivering 16 Polish paratroopers to a drop zone south of Arnhem, Holland, in support of "Operation Market Garden."
After making the drop, fire was discovered beneath the pilot compartment. The plane burst into fire after crashing. Germans flooded the area by opening dikes in the region before remains were located. there were no survivors.
Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 10135
AAF Crew:
TSgt Russell W. Abendschoen (Crew Chief)
1st Lt. Cecil W. Biggs (Pilot)
****Army Service No.(ASN)-Officer: O-671490 ~~Contributed by James Durham (46994633)****
SSgt George G. Herbst (Radio Operator)
2nd Lt. William L. Pearce (Co-Pilot)
2nd Lt. Thomas R. Yenner (Navigator)
The only son of Benjamin French Biggs and Mary Ann Rife. On 5 February 1942, he married Mary Nan Manning in Teague, Texas.
Served in both the Normandy and Rhineland Campaigns.
"1st Lt. Biggs served with the 309th Troop Carrier Squadron, 309th Troop Carrier Group, 8th Army Air Force. The unit was based at RAF Spanhoe (Army Air Force Station 493), based near Uppingham, Northamptonshire, England. On 21 September 1944, he was aboard a C-47A (tail number 42-93029) crewed by five AAF airmen. The aircraft was delivering 16 Polish paratroopers to a drop zone south of Arnhem, Holland, in support of "Operation Market Garden."
After making the drop, fire was discovered beneath the pilot compartment. The plane burst into fire after crashing. Germans flooded the area by opening dikes in the region before remains were located. there were no survivors.
Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 10135
AAF Crew:
TSgt Russell W. Abendschoen (Crew Chief)
1st Lt. Cecil W. Biggs (Pilot)
****Army Service No.(ASN)-Officer: O-671490 ~~Contributed by James Durham (46994633)****
SSgt George G. Herbst (Radio Operator)
2nd Lt. William L. Pearce (Co-Pilot)
2nd Lt. Thomas R. Yenner (Navigator)
Originally buried with his four crewmates. Eventually, four of the crew members were identified through DNA testing and one through process of elimination. In 2007, they were all given military funerals and reinterred: Biggs in the Salem Cemetery in his hometown of Freestone, Texas, one in Zachary Taylor, and the other three in Arlington National Cemetery.
The only son of Benjamin French Biggs and Mary Ann Rife. On 5 February 1942, he married Mary Nan Manning in Teague, Texas.
Served in both the Normandy and Rhineland Campaigns.
"1st Lt. Biggs served with the 309th Troop Carrier Squadron, 309th Troop Carrier Group, 8th Army Air Force. The unit was based at RAF Spanhoe (Army Air Force Station 493), based near Uppingham, Northamptonshire, England. On 21 September 1944, he was aboard a C-47A (tail number 42-93029) crewed by five AAF airmen. The aircraft was delivering 16 Polish paratroopers to a drop zone south of Arnhem, Holland, in support of "Operation Market Garden."
After making the drop, fire was discovered beneath the pilot compartment. The plane burst into fire after crashing. Germans flooded the area by opening dikes in the region before remains were located. there were no survivors.
Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 10135
AAF Crew:
TSgt Russell W. Abendschoen (Crew Chief)
1st Lt. Cecil W. Biggs (Pilot)
****Army Service No.(ASN)-Officer: O-671490 ~~Contributed by James Durham (46994633)****
SSgt George G. Herbst (Radio Operator)
2nd Lt. William L. Pearce (Co-Pilot)
2nd Lt. Thomas R. Yenner (Navigator)
The only son of Benjamin French Biggs and Mary Ann Rife. On 5 February 1942, he married Mary Nan Manning in Teague, Texas.
Served in both the Normandy and Rhineland Campaigns.
"1st Lt. Biggs served with the 309th Troop Carrier Squadron, 309th Troop Carrier Group, 8th Army Air Force. The unit was based at RAF Spanhoe (Army Air Force Station 493), based near Uppingham, Northamptonshire, England. On 21 September 1944, he was aboard a C-47A (tail number 42-93029) crewed by five AAF airmen. The aircraft was delivering 16 Polish paratroopers to a drop zone south of Arnhem, Holland, in support of "Operation Market Garden."
After making the drop, fire was discovered beneath the pilot compartment. The plane burst into fire after crashing. Germans flooded the area by opening dikes in the region before remains were located. there were no survivors.
Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 10135
AAF Crew:
TSgt Russell W. Abendschoen (Crew Chief)
1st Lt. Cecil W. Biggs (Pilot)
****Army Service No.(ASN)-Officer: O-671490 ~~Contributed by James Durham (46994633)****
SSgt George G. Herbst (Radio Operator)
2nd Lt. William L. Pearce (Co-Pilot)
2nd Lt. Thomas R. Yenner (Navigator)
Inscription
AIR CORPS
SEPTEMBER 21 1944
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