Leonard Levere Dahnke
Military
Official USAAF photo – NARA
Object Number - UPL 44959 - Leonard Dahnke, Molesworth, 21 November 1943. (Official USAAF photo – NARA)
Shot down 1 December 1943 in B-17 #42-39781. Bailed out of his damaged plane south of Lille, France. (Missing Air Crew Report 1325). Evaded capture until 8 Jan 1944. Was arrested by the Gestapo at the Lille train station together with Sgt. Sherman G. Wright, Right Waist gunner. Was accused of being a spy, then interrogated and tortured in Lille for approximately three weeks in an attempt to extract information about the French underground. Obtaining no information, was moved to Frankfurt then onward to Stalag Luft 1 (North 2 Barracks 5 Group 26) until liberation by the Russians. NARA WWII POW record : “Returned to Military Control 6 June 1945.” Prisoner of War (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: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12051907 at enlistment, then O-671085
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37232879
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18217123
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14101673 at enlistment, then O-679083
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-681691
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Career Girl
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 1 December 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Stratton, Hitchcock County, Nebraska, United States | 26 July 1921 | the son of William C. and Myrtle Minnie (Richards) Dahnke |
|
Enlisted |
3 April 1942 | Los Angeles, California | |
|
Other Evaded capture |
1 December 1943 - 8 January 1944 | initially evaded with the help of French citizens | |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Barth, Germany | 8 January 1944 | Interned at Stalag Luft 1. Liberated by Russian troops in May 1945. |
| Burbank, California |
Revisions
Updated the location of the "POW" event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a connection to Stalag Luft 1 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
MACR 1325
NARA WWII Enlistment records
WWII Draft card
NARA WWII POW records
My father, Leonard L Dahnke, has information in his effects which support the information that I have added.
Added a "-" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1325 / MACR 1325, Roster / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
