Jacob Mentola Martinez
Military
Photo courtesy of Eugene Spearman.
Object Number - UPL 20021 - 42-30043 SO-V, RUTHLESS, Ditched in the North Sea on return from a mission (#108) to Frankfurt, 4 October 1943. Photo courtesy of Eugene Spearman.
Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29870 'Big Moose'. Prisoner of War (POW). Earlier on 4 Oct 43 on a mission to Frankfurt, B-17 #42-30043 'Ruthless' ditched in North Sea and the crew were rescued by HM drifter ‘Lord Keith’. Missing Air Crew Report #1038. Four combat missions.
POW
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32414218
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34261537
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Togglier, Enlisted Nose Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-798518
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-676887
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
Missions
![Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group are attacked by a Nazi Fighter aircraft during a mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-62641 USAF: Nazi fighter plane attacking Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th[sic] Bomb Group, 3rd Bomb Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-408505.jpg.webp?itok=zJwHCUjh)
- Date: 14 October 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Lordsburg, New Mexico, USA | 25 May 1920 | |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Zagan, Poland | 14 October 1941 | POW Camp: Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11. |
|
Enlisted |
Fort Bliss, TX, USA | 23 October 1942 | Residence: Hidalgo County, New Mexico Private, Branch Immaterial |
|
Other Assigned |
14 September 1943 | Assigned to the 384th Bombardment Group, 547th Bombardment Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #96 dated 14 September 1943, Giles Felker Kauffman Jr. Crew. | |
|
Died |
13 April 1969 | Burial: Santa Maria Cemetery District Santa Maria Santa Barbara County California, USA |
Revisions
Updated the location of the POW event to “Zagan, Poland” instead of “Germany” per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a connection to Stalag Luft 3 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1038 / MACR 1038, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey p. 303 , http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=… / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database