Archibald B Monroe Jr
Military ROLL OF HONOURA bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.'
The crew are: (back row, left to right)
Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner,
Chuck Frazer - Gunner,
Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner,
"Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot,
(front row, left to right)
Dick Eselgroth - Navigator,
Al Miller - Bombardier,
Billy Duke - Pilot
"Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator,
Baldamore Garcia - Engineer,
"Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner .
Image via RM Eselgroth.
Written on slide casing: 'Crew 22, 458th Bomb Gp. 754th Squadron, Horsham Jan 1945.' Thomas Knowles
Added official caption.
On 22 February 1945, Monroe's B-24 (serial number 44-10491) nicknamed "The Iron Duke" was hit by flak during a mission to Peine. Monroe successfully bailed out of the aircraft but was captured by two policemen after landing near Bieber.
As he was being taken to Offenbach police headquarters, Monroe and his captors took shelter in a fire station after an an air raid warning sounded. Also taking shelter were the assistant police director, Josef Kiwitt, fire chief, Paul Nahrgang, and two of his assistants, Bernard Fay and Phillip Hammann. During a quiet conversation with his men Kiwitt ordered Monroe shot.
Despite being surrounded, his captors later testified that Monroe struck Fay and 'began to escape' wearing his heavy flying suit and fur-lined boots. After Fay sounded the alarm, Hammann who was carrying a rifle, fired three shots at Monroe, killing him instantly.
The next day Monroe's body was then taken to Offenbach police headquarters and buried at the Cemetery at Muhlheim. Upon its rediscovery in March 1946 it was clear that Monroe had not been killed in the crash as previously believed. His captors were tried at the Dachau War Crimes Trials in 1947.
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
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Crashed |
Bieber, 63073 Offenbach am Main, Germany | 22 February 1945 | |
Other Killed in action |
Offenbach, Germany | 22 February 1945 | |
Batesville, MS 38606, USA | |||
Born |
Batesville, Michigan |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Page 279 of the book LIBERATORS OVER NORWICH by Mackay, Bailry & Scorza, 2010, D790G4582010 & 458bg.com (detailed info including story of final mission)