Francis Edward Owens Jr
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Object Number - UPL 13252 - S/Sgt Francis 'Bud' Owens
'Bud' Owens was on B-17F #42-29928 when it was shot down near la Coulonche, Normandy on 4th July 1943. Mission #7 to the Gnome-Rhone engine factory in Le Mans, France. MACR 161.
He evaded with Lt Ballinger for months until the Lt dropped out of the border crossing due to leg troubles. S/Sgt Owens was left behind in the Pyrenees due to exhaustion. He was left with Lt Harold Bailey and T/Sgt William "Bill" Plaskett.
He managed to evade capture only to die of exposure attempting to cross the Pyrenees on 25 October 1943. Buried in the Ardennes AMC.
S/Sgt Owens was awarded the Soldiers Medal for dragging wounded men out of harm's way during the Caroline explosion on 23 June 1943 at Ridgewell Station 167.
Pittsburgh, PA
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-736459
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35661197
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19069301 at enlistment, then O-737353
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39242710
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34315087
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 4 July 1943
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Ardennes American Cemetery, Liege, Belgium
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 26 December 1921 | |
|
Enlisted |
Pittsburgh, PA, USA | 12 September 1942 | |
|
Died |
Port de Rat, Andorra | 25 October 1943 | Died of exposure while attempting to cross the Pyrenees |
|
Based |
4 July 1943 | ||
|
Buried |
Plot A Row 8 Grave 16 |
Revisions
Sources:
MACR
E&E report of pilot Olof Ballinger
http://budowens.blogspot.fr/
381st Bomb Group Memorial Association, March 1999; MACR 161 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 161 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
