Capen Robert Simons

Military
media-17142.png UPL 17142 Photo taken 31 July 1943.
Back, left to right : Rudolph A. Thigpen, Victor Ciganek, Gerald H. Tucker, James A. Bowcock, Jarvis Allen, Albert T. Diminno
Front Left to right : Carl N. Smith, Jack A. Hargis, Capen R. Simons, William H. Turcotte.
Some men are still wearing the dry clothing supplied to them by the British Air Sea Rescue.

Détails about the men in the photo found by Victor Ciganek's daughter in the April 1985 issue of "The Ragged Irregulars" Newsletter.

Object Number - UPL 17142 - Photo taken 31 July 1943. Back, left to right : Rudolph A. Thigpen, Victor Ciganek, Gerald H. Tucker, James A. Bowcock, Jarvis Allen, Albert T....

Shot down 26 July 1943 in B-17 #42-3119. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to base.



Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-5178 'The Old Stand', Prisoner of War (POW).

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35430340
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32507462
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32392925
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Destiny's Tot
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Old Stand By
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Kingsville, Texas, USA 11 May 1918

Enlisted

San Antonio, Texas, United States 9 March 1942 as a Private in the Air Corps

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Żagań, Poland 9 October 1943 Interned at Stalag Luft 3, Poland; forced march to Stalag 7A Moosburg, Germany. NARA WWII POW records "Returned to Military Control 21/6/1945")

Died

Kingsville, Texas, United States 5 June 1992
Kingsville, Kleberg County, Texas, United States

Buried

Chamberlain Cemetery, Kingsville, Texas, United States

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to Stalag 7A per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to Stalag Luft 3 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 898

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

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 898 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Roll of Honor, MACR 898

Capen Robert Simons: Gallery (4 items)