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October 26, 2023
Today in Texas History
By Bandera Spirits of Texas
The Bandera Prophet
On this day in 1944, Horace S. Carswell, Jr., died in China. He was flying a B-24 on a single-aircraft night mission against a Japanese convoy in the South China Sea.
After his plane was seriously damaged - three of its engines were knocked out - instead of parachuting, he managed to gain enough altitude to reach land, where he ordered his crew to bail out. Carswell stayed with the B-24 and attempted a landing, but crashed with his copilot into a mountain.
He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1946, for giving "his life...to save all members of his crew" and for "sacrifice far beyond that required of him." In addition to the Medal of Honor, he received numerous other posthumous honors.
In 1948, Fort Worth Army Airfield was renamed for Carswell, who was buried at a Catholic mission in Tungchen, China.
After his plane was seriously damaged - three of its engines were knocked out - instead of parachuting, he managed to gain enough altitude to reach land, where he ordered his crew to bail out. Carswell stayed with the B-24 and attempted a landing, but crashed with his copilot into a mountain.
He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1946, for giving "his life...to save all members of his crew" and for "sacrifice far beyond that required of him." In addition to the Medal of Honor, he received numerous other posthumous honors.
In 1948, Fort Worth Army Airfield was renamed for Carswell, who was buried at a Catholic mission in Tungchen, China.