Edward Paul Thoma
Military ROLL OF HONOURArrived in England Feb 26, 1944. 20 combat missions in B-17. Assigned Aircraft 'Aces & Ates!' #42-97273. Killed in Action (KIA) while serving as lead aircraft in 'Queenie' #42-102933 of group over Hamburg, Germany on Mission # 141. Hit by a piece of flak, rest of crew completed mission and returned to base.
Ody was engaged to Melandrea 'Mellie' Pappas, whom he had met in Jackson, MS during primary flight training at Hawkins Field. She sent word of his death to his friend Ed Nebinger. Her telegram ended with the words 'Both families devastated. My world destroyed.'
Purple Heart, Air Medal w 1/Oak Leaf Cluster, DFC
Connections
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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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Gremlins Hotel : Queenie
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Helena
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Aces & Ates
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Bucks County, Pennsylvania | 4 June 1923 | |
|
Other RTD |
1 May 1944 | 42-107074 landed short of the runway, all crew returned. | |
|
Died |
20 June 1944 | ||
|
Buried |
Revisions
'Lady Doreen' by Edward M Nebinger, a memoir of his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot with the 356th Fighter Group, published in 2013.
AAIR 44-05-01-505 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / niece, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=…