Melvin J Loes
Military
Names in the photo
Object Number - UPL 41448 - Harvey P Ryder crew 306BG/369squadron
Melvin "Moon" Loes volunteered for service in 1943 and joined his crew in Tampa in 1944. He arrived into England on 23 November 1944. On his second mission, his crew lost 2 of 4 engines and made an emergency landing in France. Moon completed 27 missions from 30 December 1944 through 7 May 1945. He was discharged on 26 December 1945 and married Georgeanne Koeff on 18 February 1946 to whom he was engaged prior to his deployment. He and Georgeanne have three children, twelve grandchildren, and twenty five great grandchildren.
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: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31452813
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 16088635
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner ; Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 6 April 1945
- Date: 3 April 1945
- Date: 7 March 1945
- Date: 1 March 1945
- Date: 27 February 1945
Places
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Dubuque, IA | 13 July 1923 | |
|
Enlisted |
Herrold, IA | 24 September 1943 | Camp Dodge |
|
Other 306th BG Combat Tour |
Thurleigh Airfield, UK | 30 December 1944 | |
|
Died |
Dubuque, IA | 25 July 2018 | |
|
Buried |
Key West, IA | 28 July 2018 | Mount Olivet Cemetery Key West, Dubuque County, Iowa, USA |
Revisions
306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia
