Frank T Orfila

Frank T Orfila was living at 2430 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA at enlistment. (New Orleans Parish)  He joined the Army of the United States on 14 Jan. 1942, directly into the Army Air Corps at Camp Shelby, Miss.  He had completed 3 years of high school, was single at enlistment and was working as a welder.  Frank was a Catholic, and listed as MIA.  Frank served in the 321st Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Squad as an Engineer and Crew Chief working on the B-25 Mitchell Medium Bomber.

Orfila, Frank T., T/Sgt., Engineering, Enlistment Service # : 14079778
KILLED on 19 February 1944 on Shuttle Service Mission Between Vincenzo &
Gaudo, Italy. The Plane Exploded in the Air and Crashed into Lake Lesina,
North of Foggia. Cause of the Crash Was Never Known.

Frank T. Orfila Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces Service # 14079778 447th Bomber Squadron, 321st Bomber Group, Medium Entered the Service from: Louisiana
Died: 19-Feb-44
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery
Nettuno, Italy

War Diary; 3 November 1943, S/Sgt Ofila returned from detetched service (Tobruk, Lybia, North Africa /Gambut Gambit) today.

MACR 2717 B-25 D   #43-3414    Near Foggia in Lake Lesina, Italy.   This ship was on a "shuttle service" and was seen to explode in the air.

Saturday, 19 February 1944    447th BS:  Extracts from Missing Air Crew Report # 2717:  Remains of wrecked plane were found in Lake Lesina, NE of Foggia and bodies of T/Sgt. Nowakowski and Sgt. Cheatle were identified.  It is believed that the remaining persons are in the wreckage, recovery of which is being made by the 319th Service Group.  As soon as additional persons are recovered, subsequent records will be submitted.

 A/C No.    43-3413 (MACR-2717 - exploded in air – crashed in Lake Lesina, near Foggia
P Toltzman, William J., 1Lt - MIA, KNB
E Edwards, Earl W., Pvt - MIA, KNB
PAX Orfila, Frank T., T/Sgt - MIA, KNB
PAX Atkinson, Elmer S., Sgt - MIA, KNB
PAX Brandt, George F., Sgt - MIA, KNB
PAX Cheatle, Walter J., Sgt - MIA, KNB
PAX Nowakowski, Ollie D, T/Sgt - MIA, KNB

PRINCESSBARBI_B25@msn.com  Barbara Ennis Connolly, 321st Bomb Group

28 April, 2011. 

    Being Historian for the 321st Bomb Group (and the 319th BG) and an Historical Researcher for the 57th Bomb Wing, it has like all things.... the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.  While it is  undeniably the most honorable and worthy thing I believe I have undertaken and all in HONOR of my Dad/Edward C Ennis, it is also incredible difficult or maybe SAD would be a better word.
  War is hell, all war is hell and those who do not believe that have not lost a loved one.  While it is often difficult to place Memorials, I also find it to be rewarding to have the very men that gave their ALL for our Freedom represented for all to remember . . . . not diminishing the fact that those who made it home suffered hardship and loss, sometimes just up to "death". 

     "WE REMEMBER" and therefore we continue to place Memorials to Honor those special men (and women) who lost their very lives to free the World from such unimaginable tyranny.  

     God Bless our Brave Men.

PRINCESSBARBI Barbara Ennis Connolly PRINCESSBARBI_B25@msn.com
Dad/Ed Ennis http://www.warwingsart.com/12thAirForce/ennis.html
57th Bomb Wing Historical Researcher,319th & 321st BG Historian, http://57thbombwing.com
Men of the 57th Gallery/Albums, http://57thbombwing.com/gallery2/main.php   

World War, SOUTHERN THEATER: Gambit at Gambut

http://57thbombwing.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=34899  57th Bomb Wing "Detached Service" in Lybia.  Gambit at Gambut was a "Gamble", a devestating one as the losses were high on the new B-25 Combat Missions of "Sea Sweeps" where the CANNON in the nose  *Skip-Bombed* the bomb across the water into the side of the enemy boat, but the B-25 then had to fly through a barage of fire-power they aimed straight up.   The B-25 Ships and Crew flew through this BEFORE the bomb reached the boat...... 

T/Sgt Frank Orfila was a Crew Chief /Engineer for a 447th BS B-25 Mitchell and was on "Detached Service" to Tobruk, Lybia, North Africa to care for "his" airplane.