Kenneth Magrath
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

In April 1944, Second Lieutenant Kenneth Magrath was serving as a pilot with the 759th Bomb Squadron, 459th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 304th Bombardment Wing, 15th Air Force, based at Giulia Airfield, Italy. The 459th Bombardment Group flew B-24 Liberator bombers on missions in Italy, France, the Balkans, Austria and Germany.

On 13 April 1944, 2LT Magrath was the pilot of B-24H Liberator bomber Serial Number 41-28675 on a bombing mission over Budapest, Hungary. The aircraft had a crew of 10. After the aircraft completed its bomb run, it was hit by flak. Crew members from other mission aircraft saw the plane crash at 1425 hours. 2LT Magrath was killed in the crash.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Purple Heart
Air Medal with Award Numeral 2
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army Air Forces Pilot Badge

Five of the 10 crew members were killed in the crash and 5 were taken prisoner and later returned to duty.

B-24H Liberator Bomber Serial Number 41-28675 had the following crew on 13 April 1944.

● Pilot: 2LT Kenneth Magrath [Honoree Record ID 76202]
● Co-Pilot: 2LT James W. Manuel [Honoree Record ID 308018] POW
● Navigator: 2LT Paul N. Hawks [Honoree Record ID 308019] POW
● Bombardier: 2LT Joe W. Blankenship [Honoree Record ID 308014]
● Engineer/Gunner: TSGT Kenneth H. Foley [Honoree Record ID 308015]
● Radio Operator/Gunner: TSGT Benjamin E. Evans [Honoree Record ID 308020] POW
● Right Waist Gunner: SSGT Robert C. Nelson [Honoree Record ID 308021] POW
● Left Waist Gunner: SSGT Waymon E. Steakley [Honoree Record ID 308016]
● Ball Turret Gunner: SSGT Hugh D. Cowart [Honoree Record ID 308017]
● Tail Turret Gunner: TSGT William Burch [Honoree Record ID 308022] POW

Burial

Second Lieutenant Kenneth Magrath is buried at the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial in Florence, Provincia di Firenze, Toscana, Italy, in Plot E, Row 4, Grave 41.

[The information in this biography was derived primarily from various sections of the 459th Bombardment Group website at http://www.459bg.org/ and permission was granted for its use.]