Ira Lawrence Arnold

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

B-17G #42-31968 'Miss Irish' returned from a mission to Marquise/Mimoyecques, Fance and made an emergency landing at Raydon after taking a direct hit from an 88mm in the radio room on 19 March 1944. Returned To Duty (RTD). Shot down by Flak on the Merseburg mission 29 July 1944 in AC #42-31537 "Buffalo Gal". Crashed Punschrau, Germany. On the William T. Fitzroy page at https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=personnel&id=1648… , Fitzroy states he saw 12 Americans hanged and shot by the Germans on 29 July 1944 after bailing out. Among them were Ira Arnold, Robert Dykeman and Floyd Douglas from his crew. Page 6 of German report KU-2601 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/147892518 mentions that Ira Arnold was found cremated in the debris of the crashed plane and first buried on 30 July 1944 as “unknown” at the cemetery of Hassenhausen, 5km West of Bad Kösen... Killed in Action (KIA)

Connections

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Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-464692
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18190381
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35683437
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32383566
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier / Togglier / Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19101831 at enlistment, then O-755534
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Randie Lou" of the 385th Bomb Group. 

Handwritten caption on reverse: '385.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Randie Lou, BUFFALO GAL
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 94th Bomb Group 332nd Bomb Squadron 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Miss Irish
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

7 March 1922

Other

Killed

29 July 1944 near Punschrau/Bad Kösen, Germany

Buried

30 July 1944 Cemetery of Hassenhausen, Germany

Born

Muleshoe, Bailey County, Texas

Buried

after the war, his remains were brought back to the US. Ira Arnold rests at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, Texas

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 15220
MACR 7809
German report KU-2601 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/147892518 (NARA)

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Corrected typos and added details in Biography

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated "Summary biography" for readability.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated BIO data per Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 298265.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 7809 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Thompson, MACR 7809, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces