First Lt. Benjamin C. McCartney, a bombardier, was a veteran of 48 combat missions. Of these, he led 12. On September 22, 1944, he was mortally wounded by flak near Milan. In spite of his wound, he and his navigator directed their B-26 over the target, leading the other planes in. His pilot, Capt. Leonard S. Ackerman (left), then flew him to Corsica, where he died (page 296).

First Lt. Benjamin C. McCartney was flying as lead bombardier for a B-26 Marauder formation attacking the Cassano d'Adda rail bridge, east of Milan, September 22. 1944. As his plane leveled off for the bomb run, it was heavily hit by flak. Lieutenant McCartney was mortally wounded, and the bomb-release mechanism was damaged, making it impossible for him to drop his load. Lieutenant McCartney realized that the success of the mission depended upon the continuation of the bomb run by the lead plane; therefore, despite his wounds, he directed the pilot, Capt. Leonard Ackerman, Rockville Centre, Long Island, over the target. The remainder of the formation scored excellent results. All turned homeward.

Captain Ackerman led the squadron to friendly territory, then broke off and flew to a near-by Corsican airfield where Lieutenant McCartney could receive immediate medical attention. There his comrades gave their blood for transfusions, but nine days later he died of severe intestinal wounds. While he was being buried in a small American cemetery in Corsica, an honor guard from his squadron was in the skies overhead.

Lieutenant McCartney, 28 years old, was the son of the Reverend Dr. Albert Joseph McCartney, pastor of the historic Covenant-First Presbyterian Church, Washington, D. C., and Mrs. McCartney. He had flown 48 combat missions in his overseas duty, which commenced in November, 1943. His pilot and he, a perfect team and close friends, led either his Marauder squadron or the entire formation on every mission they flew.

He considered two of his early missions the best. On January 13, 1944, his plane led a B-26 formation which destroyed 18 German planes on the ground at Ciampino airfield, Rome. This attack crippled the Nazis just before the American landing at the Anzio beachhead. He received the Air Medal for this.

Later that month Lieutenant McCartney flew with Marauders which attacked an Orvieto rail bridge, striking the bridge and a 40-car train which was crossing. Hundreds of soldiers, trying to escape, were shown in the photographs as they jumped from the cars and ran along the railroad tracks, but the bombing pattern subsequently covered them up.

On September 5. 1944, his lead plane was enveloped in heavy flak as it approached the Pavia road bridge in the Po Valley. The tail turret was shot off and the rudder control was jammed. McCartney had commenced the bomb run when he saw that the pilot was unable to control the plane. Turning the formation in a wide circle, he allowed the pilot to regain control by freeing the rudder cables. Then he made a precision run from a different direction, dropping a perfect pattern and destroying the bridge.

For this achievement he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross which, along with the Purple Heart, was awarded posthumously. Also serving in the Mediterranean area is his brother, Lt. Albert N. McCartney, on duty with the U. S. Navy landing craft. When Lieutenant McCartney was bombing the Germans around Anzio, his brother was helping put American troops ashore on the beachhead.

National Geographic March 1945