Marion Edward Laird
MilitaryShot down 10 October 1943 in B-17 42-3302 'Rick-O-Shay'. Prisoner of War (POW). Earlier 12 August 1943 on mission to oil refinery in Germany, landed wheels up in B17 42-3299. Flew 19 missions before being shot down over Germany. He spent the remainder of the war at Stalag 17b Prisoner of War (POW) Camp. After 19 months he was liberated in May of 1945.
Marion Laird
390th Bomb Group, Eye, England
Marion Laird was one of the original members of the 390th Bomb Group when it was founded at Geiger Field Washington in January of 1943. By July they had been transferred to Framingham, England as part of the Mighty 8th Air Force. The 390th flew many of the toughest missions of the war and received several Distinguished Unit Citations.
It was on Oct. 10, 1943 that Marion was shot down , captured and sent to Stalag Luft 17B in Krems, Austria. He remained there until the end of the war.
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Post war: Retired from the USAF in 1968, and worked in security for the K-Mart corporation for 10 years.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13054737 / O-795167
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bomber pilot
Aircraft
Places
![A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile" and their dog and monkey mascots "Scrappy" and "Joe". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Fox.’ [stamp], ‘passed for publication 25 Oct 1943.’ [stamp] and ‘289774.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ‘AERIAL MASCOTS OF FORTRESS CREWS. PH/MoN. As frisky and friendly a pair of aerial mascots as you'll find in Britain are "Scrappy" and "Joe", pup and monkey team belonging to the](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380433.jpg.webp?itok=L7HbOA_i)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Parham
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 17b, Krems an der Donau, Austria
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Potwin, KS 67123, USA | 2 June 1918 | Son of John W and Mamie W Laird. |
|
Enlisted |
Fort McPherson, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA | 8 June 1942 | Fort McPherson Atlanta Georgia |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Krems an der Donau, Austria | 10 October 1943 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft XVIIb. |
|
Other Shot down |
Münster, Germany | 10 October 1943 | Shot down 10 October 1943 in B-17 42-3302 'Rick-O-Shay'. |
|
Died |
Fort Worth, TX, USA | 17 November 2012 | |
|
Based |
Framlingham | 10 October 1943 | Assigned to 571BS, 390BG, 8AF USAAF. |
| Kansas, USA | Colquitt County, GA, USA | ||
|
Buried |
Fort Worth, TX, USA | Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery Dallas Dallas County Texas, USA |
Revisions
Source: Bio provided the chapter by Marion Laird . lda 3/22/16
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 866 / MACR 866, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey p. 232 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database