Charles Pershing Mannka

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Bombardier Charles Mannka served in the 384th Bomb Group/546th Bomb Squadron. On return from the Kassel raid on July 30, 1943, he was on board B-17 #42-5848 'Patches', which landed at Boxted with 6 crew members injured and extensive battle damage.

Mannka was on board B-17 #42-29800 BK-H, 'Me and My Gal' when it was shot down 14 October 1943. Missing Air Crew Report MACR #840.

Immediately captured, he was interned at Stalag Luft III. From "Behind The Wire": "Was infected with dementia praecox on 15 May 1944. Developed pneumonia on 30 May. Was sent to an hospital where he died on 8 June 1944. Initially buried at the municipal cemetery in Leignitz (Legnica), Poland on 12 June 1944." His remains were exhumed after the war and Charles Mannka rests at the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.

384th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

David Hall Black

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14090837 and O-673460
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
Seven men, wearing dress Air Force uniform, posed in front of a building. Four men standing to the rear and three men kneeling in front. All the men have Purple Heart medals pinned to their jacket left lapel

William Russell Harry

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20323830 and O-515826
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Julius M Markus

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12180110
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

John Conat McKenna

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32140430
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Leroy Parent

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12048890
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

42-29800

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Me An' My Gal
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron 422nd Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron

42-30033

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Little America
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Enlisted

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States 27 January 1942 as a Private in the Air Corps

Other

Prisoner of War

Żagań, Poland 14 October 1943 - 8 June 1944 Interned at Stalag Luft 3. Was sent to an hospital and died on 8 June 1944, from pneumonia, according to the German records.

Other

Died as a Prisoner of War (POW)

near Leignitz/Legnica, Poland 8 June 1944 Died in POW camp. From Story of 1Lt.Luther C Cox, Stalag Luft III,93rd Bomb Group: 'Today the eight of June 1944, Lt.Mannka died, just one week after he had been taken from the camp ill. The Goons sent back the report that he had died of pneumonia. But some of us know the real answer. Perhaps he did die of pneumonia, but why? Because he had been thrown into a cold damp cell in solitary confinement where he had remained without any clothes for days until he died. It was murder, thats what it was. This isn't the first time a sick man left the confines of our camp never to return. The same report always comes back, DIED OF PNEUMONIA, when it should read: MURDERED... Several days later, our buddy, Lt. Mannka, was buried at Liegnitz, Germany, Standort Cemetery, part 5, Grave 880.'

Born

Pennsylvania, United States

Buried

Charles Mannka rests in Plot C, Row 6, Grave 19.

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 840
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
ABMC website

Date
Contributorbombercommand
Changes
Sources

http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=6076

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 840 / MACR 840, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 214, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=… / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database