Eighth Air Force

8th AF Base Duxford

bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Germany > The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force, © 2024 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 27 Jan 2024.

The best-known and deadliest aspect of the ETO Air War was strategic bombing, the use of thousands of US and English heavy bombers based in southern England against targets in Germany and elsewhere in occupied Europe.

Below is the order of battle of Eighth Air Force combat units as of D-Day, 6 June 1944
Commander: Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle

++ 1st Bombardment Division: Major General R. B. Williams

1st Bombardment Wing: Brigadier General William M. Gross
– 91st Bombardment Group (Bassingbourn airfield): Colonel Henry W. Terry
– 381st Bombardment Group (Ridgewell airfield): Colonel Harry P. Leber, Jr
– 398th Bombardment Group (Nuthampstead airfield): Colonel Frank P. Hunter, Jr
40th Bombardment Wing: Brigadier General Howard M. Turner
– 92nd Bombardment Group (Podington airfield): Colonel William M. Reid
– 305th Bombardment Group (Chelveston airfield): Colonel Ernest H. Lawson
– 306th Bombardment Group (Thurleigh airfield): Colonel George L. Robinson
41st Bombardment Wing : Brigadier General Robert F. Travis
– 303rd Bombardment Group (Molesworth airfield): Colonel Kermit D. Stevens
– 379th Bombardment Group (Kimbolton airfield): Colonel Maurice A. Preston
– 384th Bombardment Group (Grafton Underwood airfield): Colonel Dale O. Smith
94th Bombardment Wing: Brigadier General Julius K. Lacey
– 351st Bombardment Group (Polebrook airfield): Colonel Eugene A. Romig
– 401st Bombardment Group (Deenethorpe airfield): Colonel Harold W. Bowman
– 457th Bombardment Group (Glatton airfield): Colonel James R. Luper

++ 2nd Bombardment Division: Major General J. P. Hodges

2nd Bombardment Wing (Hethel airfield): Brigadier General Edward J. Timberlake
– 389th Bombardment Group (Hethel airfield): Colonel Robert B. Miller
– 445th Bombardment Group (Tibenham airfield): Colonel Robert H. Terrill
– 453rd Bombardment Group (Old Buckenham airfield): Colonel Ramsay D. Potts, Jr
14th Bombardment Wing (Shipdham airfield): Brigadier General Leon W. Johnson
– 44th Bombardment Group (Shipdham airfield): Colonel John H. Gibson
– 392nd Bombardment Group (Wendling airfield): Colonel Irvine A. Rendle
– 492nd Bombardment Group (North Pickenham airfield): Colonel Eugene H. Snavely
20th Bombardment Wing (Hardwick airfield): Colonel Jack W. Wook
– 93rd Bombardment Group (Hardwick airfield): Colonel Leland G. Fiegel
– 446th Bombardment Group (Bungay airfield): Colonel Jacob J. Brogger
– 448th Bombardment Group (Seething airfield): Colonel Gerry L. Mason
95th Bombardment Wing (Halesworth airfield): Colonel Frederick R. Dent, Jr
– 489th Bombardment Group (Halesworth airfield): Colonel Ezekiel W. Napier
– 491st Bombardment Group (Metfield airfield): Lieutenant Colonel Carl T. Goldenburg
96th Bombardment Wing (Horsham St. Faith airfield): Brigadier General Walter R. Peck
– 458th Bombardment Group (Horsham St. Faith airfield): Colonel James H. Isbell
– 466th Bombardment Group (Attlebridge airfield): Colonel Arthur Pierce
– 467th Bombardment Group (Rackhealth airfield): Lieutenant Colonel Albert H. Shower

++ 3rd Bombardment Division: Major General C. E. Le-May

4th Bombardment Wing: Brigadier General Frederick W. Castle
– 94th Bombardment Group (Bury St. Edmunds airfield): Colonel Charles B. Dougher
– 385th Bombardment Group (Great Ashfield airfield): Colonel Elliot Vandevanter
- 447h Bombardment Group (Rattlesden airfield): Colonel Hunter Harris, Jr
13th Bombardment Wing: Brigadier General Colonel Edgar M. Wittan
– 95th Bombardment Group (Horham airfield): Colonel Karl Truesdell
– 100th Bombardment Group (Thorpe Abbotts airfield): Colonel Thomas S. Jeffrey
– 390th Bombardment Group (Framlingham airfield): Colonel Frederick W. Ott
45th Bombardment Wing: Brigadier General Archie J. Old Jr
– 96th Bombardment Group (Snetterton Heath airfield): Colonel James L. Travis
– 388th Bombardment Group (Knettishall airfield): Colonel William B. David
– 452nd Bombardment Group (Deopham Green airfield): Colonel Thetus C. Odom
92nd Bombardment Wing: Colonel Harold Q. Huglin
– 486th Bombardment Group (Sudbury airfield): Colonel Glendon P. Overing
– 487th Bombardment Group (Lavenham airfield): Colonel Robert Taylor III
93rd Bombardment Wing: Brigadier General John K. Gerhart
– 34th Bombardment Group (Mendlesham airfield): Lieutenant Colonel Ernest F. Wackwitz, Jr
– 490th Bombardment Group (Eye airfield): Colonel Lloyd H. Watnee
– 493rd Bombardment Group (Debach airfield): Colonel Elbert Helton

++ VIII Fighter Command: Major General W. E. Kepner

65th Fighter Wing (Saffron Walden airfield): Brigadier General Jesse Auton
– 4th Fighter Group (Debden airfield): Colonel Donald M. Blakeslee
– 56th Fighter Group (Boxted airfield): Colonel Hubert A. Zemke
– 355th Fighter Group (Steeple Morden airfield): Colonel William J. Cummings, Jr
– 356th Fighter Group (Martlesham airfield): Lieutenant Colonel Philip E. Tukey, Jr
– 479th Fighter Group (Wattisham airfield): Lieutenant Colonel Kyle L. Riddle

66th Fighter Wing (Sawston airfield): Brigadier General Murray C. Woodbury
– 55th Fighter Group (Wormingford airfield): Colonel George T. Crowell
– 78th Fighter Group (Duxford airfield): Colonel Frederick C. Gray, Jr
– 339th Fighter Group (Fowlmere airfield): Colonel Hohn B. Henry Jr
– 353rd Fighter Group (Raydon airfield): Colonel Glenn E. Duncan
– 357th Fighter Group (Leiston airfield): Colonel Donald W. Graham

67th Fighter Wing (Walcot Hall airfield): Brigadier General Edward W. Anderson
– 20th Fighter Group (Kings Cliffe airfield): Lieutenant Colonel Harold Rau
– 352nd Fighter Group (Bodney airfield): Colonel Joe L. Mason
– 359th Fighter Group (East Wretham airfield): Colonel Avelin P. Tacon, Jr
– 361st Fighter Group (Bottisham airfield): Colonel Thomas J. J. Christian, Jr
– 364th Fighter Group (Honington airfield): Colonel Roy W. Osborn

🇺🇸 Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster - The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force:

Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.

03-09 - The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force: (44 dead, updated 26 Jan 2024)
† Andersen, Edwin Pershing, SN 38-050-262, US Army Air Force, Audubon Co. & Harris Co., TX

845th Bomb. Sqdn., 489th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Halesworth, SE of Norwich, Suffolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #42-94786 Heaven Can Wait II crew member with pilot Claude T. Lovelace Jr.; KIA 18 Sep 1944 near Groesbeek, SE of Nijmegen, Netherlands; during a low-level supply drop for Operation Market Garden, aircraft hit by flak and crashed; at least five dead; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Bagley, Charles Phelps, SN 0-765-281, US Army Air Force, Audubon Co.

600th or 601st Bomb. Sqdn., 398th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Nuthampstead SW of Cambridge, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #43-38463 co-pilot w/ pilot Roger Weum; KIA 30 Nov 1944 at Grosslöbichau, east of Jena, Thuringia, Germany; aircraft went into a dive, exploded in mid-air, and crashed; crew of nine, six died; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Bailey, Edwin Clark, SN 17-149-190, US Army Air Force, Montgomery Co.

7th Bomb. Sqdn., 34th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Mendlesham, N. of Ipswich, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #43-38419 Miss Betsy tail gunner w/ pilot Jacob Raver; KIA 14 Jan 1945 on mission to Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany; aircraft lost right wing due to flak and crashed NW of Bremen, 700 meters SW of village of Eggestedt; seven dead, two POW; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Benedict, George Junior, SN 37-485-642, US Army Air Force, Mills Co.

731st Bomb. Sqdn., 452nd Bomb Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Doepham Green, Norfolk, England; B-17G #44-8015 Johnny Reb w/ pilot William T. Emmet II; KIA Pfaffenhofen an der Roth, Bavaria, near Ulm, Germany, 22 Feb 1945; plane broke apart approaching the target in overcast conditions; seven died, three survived; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Benton, Raymond James, SN 37-112-067, US Army Air Force, Guthrie Co.

366 Bomb. Sqdn., 305th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Cheveston, NW of Cambridge, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-102255 radio operator; KIA 3 Feb 1945; aircraft suffered flak damage during mission over Germany & ditched in North Sea; crew of nine all killed; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.

† Blaylock, John Robert “Bob” Jr., SN 0-437-451, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

C.O. 510th Bomb. Sqdn., 351st Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Polebrook, Northamptonshire, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-37731 pilot; KIA 31 Dec 1943 near Royan, SW France; plane shot down after raid on Bordeaux, parachute failed; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Broman, Floyd Leroy, SN 39-691-053, US Army Air Force, Los Angeles Co., CA & York Co., NE

709th Bomb. Sqdn., 447th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based 15 miles NW of Ipswich at Rattlesdon, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #44-6027 radio operator w/ pilot William C. Hoyer; KIA 29 Jun 1944 over Saxony, Germany; aircraft hit by flak south of Leipzig over the oil refinery target of Böhlen, exploded and crashed eight miles east of Altenburg; eight crew members died; bombardier & tail gunner survived; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Burke, Vernon Clifford Jr., SN 17-068-043, US Army Air Force, Audubon Co.

548th Bomb. Sqdn., 38th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Great Ashfield, 10 miles east of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17 #42-31847 Flying Fortress tail gunner w/ pilot Howard M. Worster; KIA 12 May 1944 2 miles west of Langenhain-Ziegenberg & 6 miles west of Bad Nauheim, Hesse, Germany; aircraft attacked by Luftwaffe fighters & crashed; nine dead from crew of ten; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Cargill, Lawrence Elroy, SN 37-464-353, US Army Air Force, Fremont Co.

66th Bomb. Sqdn., 44th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Shipdham Airfield, Norwich, England west of the city of Norwich; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #41-28795 radio operator w/ pilot Forest M. Musgrave; DNB 8 May 1944 near Acle, Norwich, England, between the city of Norwich and Great Yarmouth; aircraft was on a training mission preparatory to serving as a radar-equipped Pathfinder; lost control from unknown causes and crashed; two killed (Musgrave's chute didn't open and Cargill stayed with the aircraft); The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Carlson, Roland Linus, SN 37-524-041, US Army Air Force, Montgomery Co. & Wright Co., MN

412th Bomb. Sqdn., 95th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Horham, 4 miles SE of Eye, Suffolkshire, England; Boeing B-17G #42-39869 Heaven Can Wait waist gunner w/ pilot Richard P. Bannerman; KIA 11 Apr 1944 on mission to Poznan, Poland; aircraft shot down by enemy aircraft 6 miles SE of Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany; all ten dead; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Cohen, Irving, SN 0-771-221, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

728 Bomb. Sqdn; 452 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Deopham Green, Norfolk, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortess #42-97534 pilot; KIA on his first mission 25 Nov 1944 over Harren, north of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; plane exploded in mid-air after direct flak hit, seven crew dead, two POW; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.

† Coy, Leroy A., SN 0-741-481, US Army Air Force, Fremont Co.

385th Bomb. Gp, Eighth Air Force, based at Great Ashfield, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-3548 Little Willie navigator; aircraft belonged to the 563rd Bomb Sqdn., 388th Bomb Gp., based at Knettishall, Suffolk; KIA 23 Mar 1944 over Germany; aircraft hit by flak while returning from mission over Brunswick, Germany; crashed at Hullern five miles east of Haltern, North Rhine, Westphalia, Germany; two died, eight survived; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Dideriksen, Robert Warren, SN 0-2-044-637, US Army Air Force, Pott. & Page Cos.

14th Photo Reconnaissance Sqdn., 7th Reconnaissance. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Mount Farm, north of Dorchester, Oxfordshire, England; British Supermarine PR Mk XI Spitfire #PL790 pilot; KIA 15 Jun 1944 near Paris, France; shot down by German Me-109s; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Emerson, Charles Waldo, SN 37-485-764, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

418th Bomb. Sqdn., 100th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 43-37517 Heaven Can Wait tail gunner; WIA 11 Sep 1944 over Ruhland, north of Dresden, Germany; DOW 30 Sep 1944 in hospital, England; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Evers, Leland Junior, SN 0-748-386, US Army Air Force, Pott. & Harrison Cos.

730 Bomb. Sqdn., 452 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Deopham Green, Norfolk, England; Boeing B17-G Flying Fortress #42-31334 3 Cads and a Lad pilot; KIA 12 Apr 1944 over North Sea; plane ditched returning from mission, six dead; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.

† Franklin, Milburn Martin, SN 0-736-767, US Army Air Force, Lewis Co., WA

410th Bomb. Sqdn., 94th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, east of Cambridge; Boeing B-17G #42-37821 The Sweetest One navigator w/ pilot John E. Pyles; KIA 26 Nov 1943 SE of Paris, France; aircraft rammed by German FW-109 fighter and crashed near Chevry-Cossigny in Ile-de-France Departement; of crew of ten, nine died and the tail gunner eluded capture; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Friend, James Junior, SN 0-746-080, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

551st Bomb. Sqdn., 385th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Great Ashfield, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress #42-30822 Dorsal Queen co-pilot w/ pilot Delmer Gray; KIA 25 Feb 1944 over Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany; mid-air explosion from flak, seven dead, three POW; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Gallup, Eugene Maxwell, SN 39-539-448, US Army Air Force, Harrison Co.

578th Bomb. Sqdn., 392nd Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Wendling, near East Dereham, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #41-28688 gunner w/ pilot Travis W. Griffin; KIA 24 Apr 1944; multiple engine failure on mission to Leipheim Luftwaffe air base, east of Ulm, Bavaria, Germany; entire crew of ten bailed out SW of Freudenstadt, Baden; two died; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Gustafson, Dale Eldon, SN 19-127-645, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

250th Bomb. Sqdn., 100th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-102611 left waist gunner; KIA 27 Jun 1944 near Great Yarmouth, England, plane lost during training flight; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.

† Hartkopf, Paul Otto, SN 37-479-719, US Army Air Force, Cass Co.

848th Bomb. Sqdn., 490th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Eye, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #43-38191 Miss Mary Kay waist gunner w/ pilot Darril F. Roufs; KIA 5 Apr 1945 Goeree Overflakkee Is., SW of Rotterdam, Netherlands; aircraft hit by flak from German naval vessels in Middelharnis Harbor, crashed into water and exploded, crew of nine all dead; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Janss, Alfred Henry, SN T-131842, US Army Air Force, Cass Co.

788th Bomb. Sqdn., 467th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Rackheath, NE of Norwich, Norwalk, England; Consolidated/Ford B-24H Liberator #42-52546 Southern Clipper navigator w/ pilot William E. Shinn; KIA 18 Mar 1945 over Berlin, Germany; aircraft hit by flak over target, four died from crew of ten; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Kersten, Lloyd Wesley, 0-819-918, US Army Air Force, Harrison Co.

836th Bomb. Sqdn., 487th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Lavenham, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #43-37877 pilot; KIA 30 Nov 1944, Theissen, Burgenlandkreis, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany, SW of Leipzig; shot down by flak over secondary target; seven dead, two POW; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Kussman, Edward William, SN 37-261-765, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

856 Bomb. Sqdn., 492nd Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at North Pickenham, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #42-50331 waist gunner w/ pilot Henry L. Polansky; KIA 31 Mar 1945, near Kirkwall, Orkney Is., Scotland; plane lost power and crashed returning from aborted Operation Carpetbagger mission; 13 dead included six Norwegian Special Forces members; one survivor; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Learned, Bradley Eugene, SN 17-047-210, US Army Air Force, Wright Co., MN

508th Bomb. Sqdn. 351st Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based between Leicester and Cambridge at Polebrook, Northamptonshire, England; Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress #42-29817 ball turret gunner w/ pilot William C. King; KIA 28 Jun 1943 over the Bay of Biscay after completion of mission over St. Nazaire, France; aircraft lost two engines after Luftwaffe attack, glided into water and exploded; four POW & six KIA; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† McCord, George Melvin, SN 37-651-218, US Army Air Force, Harrison & Pott. Cos.

785th Bomb. Sqdn., 466th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Attlebridge, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #41-29466 Dark Rhapsody right waist gunner w/ pilot Donald C. Griffin, KIA 23 Mar 1944 over St. Jansklooster, NE of Amsterdam, Netherlands; mid-air collision w/ B-24 #42-52587 Shoo Shoo Baby on mission to Achmer Airfield, NW of Onsabrück, Germany; all died except two or three members off the Shoo Shoo Baby crew; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Melton, Derald William, SN 17-131-529, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

547th Bomb. Sqdn., 384th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Grafton-Underwood, Northamptonshire, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-10783 bombardier; KIA 27 Dec 1944 near Arenberg, east of Koblenz, Germany; plane lost rear section from flak & crashed, eight dead, two survivors; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Narvis, Charles William, SN 0-698-999, US Army Air Force, Muscatine Co.

375th Fighter Sqdn., 361th Fighter Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Bottisham, Cambridgeshire, England; North American P-51 Mustang #44-14226 Babe pilot; KIA 2 Nov 1944 10 miles east of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Nord, Carl Arthur, SN 0-694-473, US Army Air Force, Cass Co.

852nd Bomb. Sqdn., 493rd Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Debach, NE of Ipswich, Suffolk, England ; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #44-40471 No Love, No Nothing bombardier w/ pilot Jack G. W. Cooper; d. 6 Jun 1944 over the English Channel; group was returning from an aborted mission to Lisieux, France; Cooper's aircraft collided with Consolidated/Ford B-24H Liberator #42-94789 Moby Dick; no survivors from combined crews of 20; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.

† Petrus, Richard Marvin, SN 17-148-212, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

706th Bomb. Sqdn., 466 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Bungay/Flixton, Suffolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #42-50790 tail gunner; KIA 11 Apr 1945 SW of Bungay/Flixton; two returning bombers collided, no survivors; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Pogge, George Hubert, SN 0-718-974, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

714th Bomb. Sqdn., 448th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Seething, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #42-95134 Lady Margaret navigator w/ pilot Francis Bodkin; KIA 26 Aug 1944 en route to Ludwigshafen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany; plane brought down by flak 7 miles west of Ludwigshafen; six died, four survived; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Santillan, Paul J., SN 37-436-475, US Army Air Force, Audubon Co.

339th Bomb. Sqdn., 96th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Snetterton Heath, SW of Norwich, Norfolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-31113 ball turret gunner w/ pilot Harold R. Mott; d. 16 Dec 1943 over North Sea near Dutch coast; aircraft hit by fire from German fighter aircraft and engine fell off; engine fell on B-17F #42-30872 below; the two aircraft collided as they fell into the North Sea; both crews were lost; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Schaupp, Dale John, SN 17-123-462, US Army Air Force, Harrison Co.

600th Bomb. Sqdn., 398th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Nuthamstead, Hampshire, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-97339 flight engineer/top turret gunner; KIA 19 May 1944 near Berlin, Germany; plane hit by flak and by debris from an overhead plane; eight died, two POW; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Seeger, LeRoy Ernest "Roy", SN 17-131-731, US Army Air Force, Mills Co.

838th Bomb. Sqdn., 487th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Lavenham, Suffolk, England; B-17G #42-98013 flight engineer/top turret gunner w/ pilot Clement J. Kochzynski; KIA 14 Jan 1945 near Ventschau, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, ESE of Lüneburg, Germany returning from mission to Onsabrück or Magdeburg; collision with another B-17; plane left formation, exploded in mid-air and spiraled to the ground; four dead, five POWs; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Smith, Howard Myron, SN 17-038-532, US Army Air Force, Shelby & Cass Cos.

713th Bomb. Sqdn., 448th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Seething, SSE of Norwich, East Anglia, England; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #42-52123 engineer w/ pilot James E. Urban; KIA 11 Jan 1944 near Exloo, SE of Groningen, Netherlands; aircraft attacked by German fighters, left formation and broke in several parts, crew of ten all died; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Spedding, Edward William, SN 0-767-677, US Army Air Force, Oswego Co., NY

409th Bomb. Sqdn., 93rd Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Hartwick, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #42-109815 co-pilot w/ pilot Eldon C. Frobish; KIA 5 Nov 1944 near Voslapp north of Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony, Germany; plane crashed while participating in a raid on Misburg, east of Hanover, Germany (probable target was oil refineries); one survived, three bodies found & buried by Germans, five died in the water; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Spicer, Robert Francis, SN 0-693-421, US Army Air Force, Montgomery Co.

570th Bomb. Sqdn., 390th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Framlingham, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress #42-30783 The Stork Club co-pilot w/ pilot Vincent De Mayo; KIA 16 Mar 1944 six miles east of Schwabish Gmund, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; aircraft attacked by Luftwaffe fighters and exploded on mission to Augsburg; eight died, two survived; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Stockman, Kenneth Herman, SN 37-482-024, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

427 Bomb. Sqdn., 303 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #43-38057 radio operator; KIA 9 Nov 1944 near Molesworth Air Base; mid-air collision while assembling for raid over Schweinfurt, one survivor; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Sunberg, John Linder, SN 17-123-628, US Army Air Force, Montgomery Co.

837th Bomb. Sqdn., 487th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Lavenham, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #44-8276 radio operator w/ pilot Jack Leon; KIA 18 Mar 1945 near Massin, Germany (now Masina, Poland); aircraft damaged by flak approaching Berlin, then flew east to reach Russian-occupied territory before bailing out; John Sunberg & Leonard Marino were killed in their parachutes by Russian fighter aircraft, other seven landed safely; location where Russians buried Sunberg & Marino is unknown; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.
Notes: In 2017, Masina citizens erected a memorial to Sunberg & Marino. See Big Pigeon's Roster Photos > Memorials or https://www.army.mil/article/184674/polish_town_honors_fallen_wwii_airmen.

† Sweeny, Duane Grant Henry, SN 0-770-836, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

568th Bomb. Sqdn., 390th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Framlingham, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-32026 'Tis a Mystery pilot; KIA 30 Nov 1944 over North Sea; plane iced up & crashed near beginning of mission to Kassel, Germany; all nine crew dead; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.

† Wentz, William Findley, SN 17-069-660, US Army Air Force, Black Hawk Co.

785th Bomb. Sqdn., 466th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Attlebridge, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #42-52555 Ol' Tom Cat flight engineer; KIA 9 May 1944 on mission to Tutow, east of Rostock, Germany, ditched in North Sea, no survivors; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.

† Wilcox, Blaine Bertrand, SN 0-772-098, US Army Air Force, Mills Co.

613th Bomb. Sqdn. 401st Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Dennethorpe, Northhampshire, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-31801 Son-of-a-Blitz bombardier; KIA 7 Oct 1944, over Politz, between Hamburg & Lubeck, Germany, destroyed by flak, all nine died; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Wilcox, Stewart La Val, SN T-062027, US Army Air Force, Mills Co. & Delaware

613 Bomb. Sqdn., 401 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Dennethorpe, Northhampshire, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-32005 co-pilot; KIA 24 Jul 1944 English Channel, plane caught fire returning from raid over St. Lo, Normandy, France (first day of carpet bombing preliminary to Operation Cobra); all nine bailed out over English Channel, all rescued except for Flight Officer Stewart Wilcox; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.

† Yergey, Stanley Allen, SN 0-717-010, US Army Air Force, Douglas Co., NE

853th Bomb. Sqdn., 491th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Metfield, Suffolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #44-10485 Dorty Treek bombardier; KIA 26 Nov 1944, shot down between Sarstedt and Heisede, south of Hanover, Germany; four dead, Lt. Yergey's remains found in the plane; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† Zaiger, Roy Jensen, SN 39-339-753, US Army Air Force, Audubon Co. & Washington Co., OR

836th Bomb. Sqdn., 487th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at Lavenham, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-97398 waist gunner w/ pilot Claude E. Gatlin Jr.; KIA 31 Dec 1944; aircraft disappeared after takeoff on mission to Hamburg, Germany, never seen in formation, presumed lost over North Sea; crew of nine lost; The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force; BNR.

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