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W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:09 am
by georgetanksherman
Need a bit of help, on the Bomber Command, 379 American names list, there is a Firvin, W. I., from Buffalo, New York, flying B-25's. I can not find anything on Firvin, and they have his name in the middle of the "G's". Is there a possibility that it should be Girvin ??? I have found a W.I. Girvin on Canadian Virtual War Memorial site, but they have him from Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. Would appreciate if someone can lend a hand ! Thank You in advance !

Re: W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:20 am
by BFBSM
I have been unable to find any W I Firvin on any database, which is relatable to the information you have supplied.

I have found the following:
Pilot Officer (Wireless Op./Air Gunner)
GIRVIN, WILLIAM IVAN
Service Number J/92124

Died 11/06/1944

Aged 25

98 (R.A.F.) Sqdn
Royal Canadian Air Force

Son of William Ivan and Catherine Hanna Girvin, of Collingwood, Ontario, Canada.
98 (RAF) Sqdn were indeed flying Mitchell bombers at the time of William's death.

Re: W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:38 am
by Phil
"G" is right beside "F" on the keyboard, seems plausible.

Re: W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:02 pm
by georgetanksherman
Thanks guys, so the question remains, Firvin ... Girvin, or someone else ? And why, if he is a Canadian, is he mentioned on the 379 Memorial to the Americans ? Did his parents relocate to Canada, maybe ? Or, is it that the name might need another letter given or taken away ? As always all help, assistance and guidance is truly appreciated !

Re: W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:40 pm
by BFBSM
It is possible that he was resident in the US, at the time of his enlistment.

Re: W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:40 pm
by Phil
The arrow is not pointing to Garvin/Firvin but a Gregory Allen, still, No. 98 Squadron.

http://members.storm.ca/~allenw/The_98_ ... n_Page.htm

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Re: W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:44 pm
by Phil
http://www.bamf.be/Dispersals/Dispersals_Nov_2015.pdf

98 SQUADRON CREWS LOST
07 JUN 44 - 25 NOV 44

11/12-Jun-44 Night
A/C ID & Serial: VO-D FW184

F/S Thurston, W.V., Killed
F/S Dean, F.G., Killed
F/S Girvin, W.I., Killed
F/S Zado, A.F., PoW

Re: W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 4:02 pm
by BFBSM
Solved it:

Image

Re: W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 4:34 pm
by georgetanksherman
Awesome, Thanks BFBSM and Phil, sounds like there was an unfortunate family issue thing going on, which is sad, but I know even today, there are stories like that going on ! Thank You guys for clearing this up for me ! On to the next one ... or Two ... or Three :-)

Re: W. I. Firvin, Bomber Command List

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 7:59 pm
by Ludford 101
Unfortunately, that list of 379 leaves much to be desired. Over a third of the names (133) were not American citizens but British, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, German, Russian, Polish, Czech etc who had immigrated to the US but not taken out US citizenship. Or the case of a chap named Burke. Address of Washington, DC was his girlfriends. He himself was Panamanian.

Then there's a fellow on that list named Floripe. Lived in Ohio. Not American but a Costa Rican citizen with Nicaraguan parents.

I'd also avoid a book "The Foreign Burial of American War Dead: A History" by Chris Dickon. He went through the CWGC database and anybody whose next of kin had a US address automatically got listed as a US war dead. He didn't take into consideration that many Canadians crossed the border, and vice versa. Something that was easy to do in the 40s.