Miles Lewis Cooley

Military

Miles Cooley was Left Waist Gunner in the 305th Bomb Group / 364th Bomber Squadron. On board B-17 #42-5232 'Available Jones' on the 4 April 1943 mission to the Renault works in Paris-Billancourt. Wounded in the plane by a Flak fragment. #42-5232 was shot down by a German fighter and crashed west of Rouen, France. Miles Cooley was immediately captured and made a Prisoner of War (POW).

Connections

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Units served with

Unofficial emblem, 305th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18026632 and O-726136
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32310842
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12044600
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15071759
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17027987 and O-437774
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Available Jones
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Oregon, United States 24 August 1919 the son of Lewis J. and Emma E. Cooley

Enlisted

Fort Lewis (Tacoma), Washington State, United States 14 October 1941 as a Private in the Air Corps

Other

Captured

near Rouen, France 4 April 1943

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Sagan, Poland 4 April 1943 Interned at Stalag Luft 3, Sagan, Poland. Force-marched to Stalag 7A Moosburg, Germany. Liberated there by US troops 29 April 1945. NARA WWII POW records : "Returned to Military control 15 June 1945."
Curry County, Oregon, United States

Died

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 15592
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15592, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p 99, NARA