On one of the longest bombing missions of the war, from India to the Malay Peninsula, Margolies was slightly wounded by small arms fire. Despite his protests, he was awarded a Purple Heart for the injury. Five days later his B-24L experienced engine trouble, forcing Margolies to ditch the bomber in one of the rivers of India's Sundarbans, a mangrove swampland bordering the Bay of Bengal. Trapped behind the control panel, Nathan died inside the sinking plane. He, two other crew members, and the plane remain missing in what now is Bangladesh. The body of a SSgt. Reed was recovered. Lt. Margolies was 29.
Lt. Margolies' Find-A-Grave.com Memorial
1Lt. Nathan Margolies, ASN O-806295
B-24 Pilot
10th Air Force / 7th Bombardment Group / 9th Bombardment Squadron
Entered Service: 16 July 43 Killed In Action: 24 Mar 45, India
Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal w/2 Oak Leaf Cluster
Distinguished Unit Citation Purple Heart w/Oak Leaf Cluster
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/2 Bronze Service Stars
(Images Courtesy of Walt Webb)
Lt. Nathan Margolies, Pandaveswar
Lt. Nathan Margolies & Crew
Standing, L-R: 1Lt. Melvin J. Meredith (B), SSgt. Edward Reed (G), TSgt. James F.Nelson (RO)
SSgt. John E. Cunningham (G), SSgt. Kenneth W. Herald (G), SSgt. Leo Moriarty (G)
Cpl. John L. Sulgrove (Crew Chief)
Kneeling, L-R: 1Lt. Arthur R. Chaffee (CP), Margolies, TSgt. Stanley P. Sadloski (E)
1Lt. Edwin E. Scranton (N) -
February 1945
9th BS Personnel
7th BG Personnel
Main