Cornelius A Kohlman

Military
media-21578.jpeg UPL 21578 Part of the "Lady Stardust II" crew. From left to right: F/O Harold Eastman Jr (Co-Pilot); SSgt Merl D. Orcutt (Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner); SSgt Sam N. Fain (Ball Turret Gunner); 2nd Lt Milan Marecek (Pilot); 2nd Lt Cornelius A. Kohlman (Bombardier). This photo was taken on 11 May 1944. The next day SSgt Orcutt was KIA over Brux, Czechosolvakia. M.D. Eastman

MSgt Merle D. Eastman, USAF, (Ret'd) eldest son of Harold Eastman Jr

Object Number - UPL 21578 - Part of the "Lady Stardust II" crew. From left to right: F/O Harold Eastman Jr (Co-Pilot); SSgt Merl D. Orcutt (Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner);...

Shot down 12 May 1944 in B-17 42-31345 'Lady Stardust II. ' Plane ditched in Channel. Brux Oil Refinery May 12, 1944. We were shot at by German fighters and we had to fly back on the deck at approx 1300miles using the silk escape maps as our only source of navigation equipment. We had to ditch and were picked up by British Air/Sea rescue in the English Channel. We were taken to an English hospital off the coast of London. There was one dead and six wounded in this mission. I now am the sole survivor of our crew.



Air Medal with clusters, Purple Heart, Good Conduct,Pacific/European/America Areas of Conflict, Member of the Goldfish Club, and Presidential Citation

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 452nd Bomb Group.

452nd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Harold Eastman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron 728th Bomb Squadron 731st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: T-61908
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Milan Marecek

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 809984
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Merl D Orcutt

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

42-31345

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lady Stardust II
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Bronx, New York 25 October 1919

Other

Returned

12 May 1944

Revisions

Date
ContributorCallyBoatwright452ndBGA
Changes
Sources

Cally Boatwright 452nd BGA

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5021

Cornelius A Kohlman: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 21578 - Part of the "Lady Stardust II" crew. From left to...