Wilmer Jacob Link
Military"Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 26 "Biographies", by Charles D Taylor.
Wilmer flew twenty-eight combat missions. His first mission on December 18, 1944, was a bombing raid on Koblenz. He flew seven missions in what remained of December. Eight missions were flown in January mostly in support of American troops during the Battle of the Bulge. In February their crew began flying as lead aircraft. He later served as a Crew Chief on a C-47 with the 9thAF before returning to the USA in December 1945. He afterwards worked ofr the John Deere Co in Dubuque for 37 years.
Wilmer included among his most memorable missions a January 13, 1945, raid on Mannheim, Germany. on January 13, 1945. In route their aircraft flew in “prop wash”. “We were bouncing all over the place. On the bomb run we didn’t drop our bombs and we had to make a second bomb run.” This exposed them to more accurate flak from German anti-aircraft batteries.
Air Medal 4 clusters
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
5 February 1921 | ||
Enlisted |
16 August 1943 | Enlisted CP Dodge Herrold, Iowa | |
Died |
Dubuque, IA, USA | 23 July 2004 | |
Dubuque, IA, USA | |||
Other Transferred |
Wilmer, along with a B-17 bomber, was transferred to the 55th Fighter Group. Selected for duty as part of the occupational air forces at Kaufbeuren, Germany, Wilmer became a crew chief on a C-47 aircraft and transferred to the Ninth Air Force. |
Revisions
NARA file verified AM w/3 Oak Leaf Clusters. He earned at least one bronze star device on the EAME Campaign Medal and more than likely the Good Conduct Medal. His personnel records would verify any additional awards.
Entry added with details from:
- "Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 26 "Biographies", by Charles D Taylor.;
- http://www.379thbga.org/taps.htm;
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69899089/wilmer-jacob-link