42-30782

media-19150.jpeg UPL 19150 Plaque in Saint-Rémy near Chimay, Belgium to the memory of the eight US airmen who were savagely executed by Germans soldiers on 22 April 1944 and of the two Belgian Underground members who had been arrested that same day and who died in German camps.
The names :
* Sgt Vincent Reese, aged 22 [ Right Waist Gunner on #42-39795 - 303BG/359BS - lost 30 December 1943 ]
* Sgt Orian Owens, aged 24,
* Sgt Charles Nichols, aged 23 and
* Sgt John Gemborski, aged 21
[ all 3 on board #42-30782 of 306BG/368BS, lost 11 January 1944 ]
* Lt George Eike, aged 23,
* 2nd Lt Robert Benninger, aged 21 and
* Sgt John Pindroch, aged 19
[ all three on board #42-31499 - 306BG/369BS - lost 2 February 1944 ]
* 2nd Lt William Huish, aged 24 [ Navigator on #42-29656 - 91BG/322BS lost on 20 February 1944 ]
The two Belgians :
* Henri Fontaine, aged 25 [ deported; disappeared in Koblenz, Germany ]
* Joseph Simon, aged 21 [ died in the Dachau concentration camp, Germany ]

Corrected a typo in the "Caption" - "executed" was misspelled.

Object Number - UPL 19150 - Plaque in Saint-Rémy near Chimay, Belgium to the memory of the eight US airmen who were savagely executed by Germans soldiers on 22 April 1944 and...

Delivered Cheyenne 29/7/43; Gr Isle 8/8/43; Assigned 368BS/306BG [BO-O] Thurleigh; transferred 369BS; Missing in Action Oschersleben 11/1/44 with Bill Reed, Navigator: Ivan Glaze, Bombardier: Myron Dmochowski Wounded in Action, Ball turret gunner: Joe O’Connell, Tail gunner: Warren Cole (5 Prisoner of War), Co-pilot: Tom Brady, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Orian Owens**, Radio Operator: Chas Nichols**, Waist gunner: Albt Schaeffler, Waist gunner: John Gembrowski** (5 KIA - **all executed after interrogation); enemy aircraft & flak hit set wing on fire, crashed Heegejanskamp, near Nijverdal, Hol. Missing Air Crew Report 1931.

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-802710
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16075471
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-676926
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36608853
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-670113
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Germany 11 January 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation to the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a space in front of the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 1931 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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