Second Lieutenant Joseph Bayard DeVilbiss was part of the crew of a B26-B Marauder that came down on Slieve Gallion, Co. Londonderry killing 3 crew members.
Second Lieutenant
O-815100
Second Lieutenant Joseph Bayard DeVilbiss (O-815100) served in 3rd Combat Crew Replacement Center, 8th United States Army Air Force during the Second World War. He was born on 4th May 1919 in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.
In civilian life, DeVilbiss worked as a stock clerk for J. Engel and Company in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, he was a member of the Maryland National Guard. He was called into full-time active service on 3rd February 1941 at Pikesville, Maryland, U.S.A.
DeVilbiss died on 21st June 1944 aged 25 years old while serving as a pilot on B-26B #41-18042. The plane crashed on Slieve Gallion, Co. Londonderry while on a training flight at low level in cloud. The crew of 6 took off from Toome Airfield, Co. Antrim. Of those onboard, 2 (Ahrens and Knap) died in the crash, 1 (DeVilbiss) died of injuries later the same day, and 3 survived the incident. A further 2 planes on the same training flight returned safely to Toome.
Burial first took place at Lisnabreeny American Military Cemetery, Belfast. After the war, DeVilbiss was repatriated to Plot A, Row 0, Grave 197 of Baltimore National Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.