Loye James Lauraine Jr

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-32568.jpeg UPL 32568 "After calmly saying over the radio, ' And if i don't make it, good luck to you ' a 25 year old Texan, pilot of an 8th AF Boeing B-17, gave his life that his crew might live. 1st Lt Loye J Lauraine of Mt Calm TX, ordered his crew to parachute from the flak battered bomber, gripped the shattered controls with his hands and knees until all had leaped to safety and then rode his floundering fortress into the ground."

Object Number - UPL 32568 - "After calmly saying over the radio, ' And if i don't make it, good luck to you ' a 25 year old Texan, pilot of an 8th AF Boeing B-17, gave his life...

Assigned to 837BS, 487BG, 8AF USAAF. Flew 1st tour on B-24H 42-52425 'The Tweachewous Wabbit'. 34 x missions. Returned for 2nd tour. Mission to Merseburg/Leuna, Germany in B-17G 42-97997 'Honorable Patches' severely damaged by flak, with some control cables shot away. Flew back to UK, crew baled out near Ipswich. Crashed 2 miles East of Framlingham, 25-Nov-44 Killed in Action (KIA).



Awards: DSC (Posthumous), AM (3OLC), EAME (1 Battle stars), PH.



DSC Citation: "First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Loye J. Lauraine (ASN: 0-750628), United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-17 Heavy Bomber in the 837th Bombardment Squadron, 487th Bombardment Group (H), EIGHTH Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission on 25 November 1945, against enemy ground targets in the European Theater of Operations. On that date, Lieutenant Lauraine's plane had just finished dropping it's bombs on an oil refinery in Merseburgh, Germany, when it was hit by a burst of flak from enemy anti-aircraft guns. With masterful airmanship, he piloted the crippled bomber back to England and ordered his crew to bail out. As Lieutenant Lauraine prepared to bail out, the plane went into a steep dive and was headed toward a densely populated military installation. Instead of jumping out, which he could have done, the he went back to the controls and regained altitude. By his actions Lieutenant Lauraine saved the lives of many on the ground but he lost his own, as the B-17 went into a violent spin and crashed in an open field. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by First Lieutenant Lauraine on this occasion, at the cost of his life, have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces."

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 487th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 837th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 837th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 837th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 837th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-692506
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 837th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: The Tweachewous Wabbit
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 837th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Honorable Patches
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron

Places

Officers of the 487th Bomb Group outside the 838th Bomb Squadron operations room.
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Lavenham/Alpheton Airfield

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Gonzales, TX 78629, USA 17 March 1918 Son of Loye J Sr and Hallie [Cox] Lauraine.

Died

2 miles E Framlingham, Woodbridge IP13, UK 25 November 1944 Mission to Merseburg/Leuna, Germany in B-17G 42-97997 'Honorable Patches' severely damaged by flak, with some control cables shot away. Flew back to UK, crew baled out near Ipswich. Crashed 2 miles East of Framlingham, 25-Nov-44 Killed in Action (KIA).
Rapides Parish, LA, USA

Based

Lavenham 25 November 1944 Assigned to 837BS, 487BG, 8AF USAAF.

Buried

519 St Joseph St, Gonzales, TX 78629, USA Gonzales Masonic Cemetery Gonzales, Gonzales County, TX

Enlisted

Texas, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / WWW.487thBG.org roster

Loye James Lauraine: Gallery (3 items)