BOSTON, MA, U.S.A.
U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS
2LT, 374TH BOMBER SQUADRON, 308TH BOMBER GROUP, HEAVY
01/12/1945, AT SEA
2LT Saul Furman served as a second lieutenant and navigator on B-24J “Shootin’ Star” #42-73249, during World War II. He was the son of Michael Furman who resided in Boston. Saul also resided in Boston prior to the war.
B-24J #42-73249 took off, with a crew of 10, from Luliang Airfield, China on a long range reconnaissance mission over the South China Sea and Indochina Coast (Vietnam). After takeoff they were not heard from nor seen again.
Later documents noted that they thought they were being attacked, along the Indochina Coast, by Japanese fighter aircraft and fired at them. However, the planes were actually three F4U-1D Corsairs from VMF-124, U.S.S. Essex (CV-9).
The Corsairs, since being fired on and due to overcast weather conditions, thought the plane firing at them was a Japanese H8K2 Emily flying boat. They successfully shot down the aircraft and it crashed into the sea.
The Corsairs camera footage later unmistakably identified the bogey as a B-24 Liberator.
2LT Furman was declared “Missing In Action” in this crash caused by friendly fire during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
He is buried in Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines-Wall’s of the Missing. 2LT Furman was not officially declared by the military as being dead until January 13, 1946, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom.
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