Herschel Wayne Bowers
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Luther E. Salter (KIA), Arnold E. Kramer (POW), James A. Foltz (KIA), Hershel W. Bowers (KIA), Carroll B. Tallant (KIA), Herbert W. Chouinard (KIA), Daniel DeBonis (KIA), James F. Hundley (KIA), Ray L. Nickola (POW).
Leon B. Wagner did not go on the 2 November 1944 mission but completed his tour as Tail Gunner with the Richard N. Broughton crew.
BACK ROW - LEFT TO RIGHT:
Sgt. Luther E. Salter, Top Turret Gunner; S/Sgt. Arnold E. Kramer, Waist Gunner; Sgt. James A. Foltz, Ball Turret Gunner; S/Sgt. Leon Wagner, Waist Gunner; T/Sgt. Hershel W. Bowers, Radio Operator; S/Sgt. Carroll B. Tallant, Tail Gunner
FRONT ROW - LEFT TO RIGHT:
1st. Lt. Herbert W. Chouinard, Pilot; 2nd Lt. Daniel DuBonis, Navigator; 2nd Lt. James F. Hundley, Bombardier; 2nd Lt. Ray L. Nickola, Co-pilot
PHOTO AND CREW NAMES CONTRIBUTED BY ROGER LEMLEY
Object Number - UPL 50683 - This was the last crew of "The Jub Jub Bird" as it was shot down on 2 November 1944 on the Merseburg mission. Luther E. Salter (KIA), Arnold E....
Killed in Action (KIA) on 2 November 1944 in plane called 'Jub Jub Bird' on 21st mission.
Bowers was Radio Operator on 'Jub Jub Bird' of 401st Sqdn 91st Bomber Group at Bassingbourn. He was killed on his 21st mission, the November 2nd 1944 raid on the synthetic oil refineries at Merseberg. Just two members of the crew survived and were taken prisoner.
AM w/ Oak Leaf Cluster
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Jub Jub Bird
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Mount Morris, Pennsylvania | 20 October 1918 | |
|
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
Germany | 2 November 1944 | |
|
Buried |
Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial |
Revisions
Added the Buried event per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 56060499.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56060499/herschel-wayne-bowers
Biography completed by historian Helen Millgate. Information sourced from newsletters of the 91st Bomb Group related to the service of Herschel Bowers.
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- MACR 10304 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / cousin, Roger Dale Lemley MACR 10304
