Donald P Gromis

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5906) nicknamed "Sandra Kay". Printed caption on reverse: '61482 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Sandra Kay". England, 11 August 1943. Front row, left to right: T/Sgt Herman J Ball, Milwaukee, Wisc; S/Sgt George R Martin, New Albany, Ind; S/Sgt Joshua M Lewis, Cumberland, Md; S/Sgt Otto V Kloza, Milwaukee, Wisc; T/Sgt Paul D Gomis, Reading, Penn; S/Sgt Fran media-380308.jpg FRE 1503 A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5906) nicknamed "Sandra Kay". Printed caption on reverse: '61482 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Sondra Kay". England, 11 August 1943.

Front row, left to right: T/Sgt Herman J Ball (FE), Milwaukee, Wisc; S/Sgt George R Martin (BTG), New Albany, Ind; S/Sgt Joshua M Lewis (TG), Cumberland, Md; S/Sgt Otto V Kloza (WG), Milwaukee, Wisc; T/Sgt Paul D Gomis (R/O), Reading, Penn; S/Sgt Francis H Curry (WG), Roswell, New Mexico;

Back row, left to right: 2nd Lt Frank N Broach (B), Irving, Texas; 2nd Lt Albert (NMI) Rubin (CP), Chicago, Ill; 2nd Lt Henry O Cox (P), Crossville, Tenn; 2nd Lt Willis E Eddy (N), Battle Creek Mich. US Air Force Photo.'

Made corrections to the caption, adding crew positions and changing the plane name from "Sandra Kay" to "Sondra Kay" Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 1503 - A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5906) nicknamed "Sandra Kay". Printed caption on reverse:...

Killed on mission in returning from mission to Bordeaux and La Pallice on B-17 #42-5906 'Sondra Kay'. Rain squalls dispersed the 388th BG. AC crashed at Pembridge south of RAF Shobdon. 16 September 1943

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 388th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5906) nicknamed "Sandra Kay". Printed caption on reverse: '61482 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Sandra Kay". England, 11 August 1943. Front row, left to right: T/Sgt Herman J Ball, Milwaukee, Wisc; S/Sgt George R Martin, New Albany, Ind; S/Sgt Joshua M Lewis, Cumberland, Md; S/Sgt Otto V Kloza, Milwaukee, Wisc; T/Sgt Paul D Gomis, Reading, Penn; S/Sgt Fran
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-794117
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

A crashed B-17F Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-30230) nicknamed "Homesick Angel", 24 August 1943. Official caption on image: "(GAD-15-4-388)(24-8-43)(A/C No. 230230 Type B-17F)." Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Rodgers. See note. Homesick Angel.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Homesick Angel
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5906) nicknamed "Sandra Kay". Printed caption on reverse: '61482 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Sandra Kay". England, 11 August 1943. Front row, left to right: T/Sgt Herman J Ball, Milwaukee, Wisc; S/Sgt George R Martin, New Albany, Ind; S/Sgt Joshua M Lewis, Cumberland, Md; S/Sgt Otto V Kloza, Milwaukee, Wisc; T/Sgt Paul D Gomis, Reading, Penn; S/Sgt Fran
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Sondra Kay
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Pennsylvania, USA 29 November 1922

Enlisted

Allentown, PA, USA 8 August 1942

Other

388th BG Combat Tour

Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK 17 July 1943 - 16 September 1943 17 combat missions

Died

Llanyre, Llandrindod Wells LD1 6NG, UK 16 September 1943 While returning on this date from a mission to Bordeaux, low on fuel, and in bad weather, the Cox Crew crashed at Upper Cilgee Farm in Powys, Wales. All 10 crew were KIA
Reading, PA, USA

Buried

Leesport, PA 19533, USA Eplers Church Cemetery • Leesport, Berks County, Pennsylvania,

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Combat Chronology , Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 285 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Donald P Gromis: Gallery (2 items)