Edward Walter Appel

Military
media-15969.jpeg UPL 15969 Edward Appel as a Lt in 1944. Edward Appel collection

Juliann Pendolino, Daughter of Edward Appel

Object Number - UPL 15969 - Edward Appel as a Lt in 1944.

Edward Appel was one of the few Pilots who completed tours both in a Bomber Group (30 missions) and as a fighter pilot (17 missions) in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). His bomber was the B-24 Liberator the Latrine Rumor, B-24 (Number 42-95199). The last missions of both tours he was shot down and evaded the enemy. On Sept 5, 1944 he was shot down in a B-24 (Liberator 44-50511) near Surbourg France, evaded the enemy, and was recovered Nov 23, 1944 by US Troops in Hochfelden France. Near Mühldorf Germany on April 16, 1945 in P-47 (serial number 44-21230) he was shot down again and believed KIA, but was again evaded the enemy and recovered by US Troops on 26 April 1945.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
A pathfinder B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51681) of the 453rd Bomb Group flies in formation with a fellow Liberator of the 453rd and and a pathfinder Liberator of the 445th Bomb Group. Image via Alan Rowsell.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Observer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
My grandfather Louis Joseph Trosclair
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11066624 at enlistment, then O-805900
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

My grandfather Louis Joseph Trosclair
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: The Latrine Rumor
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron 409th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

14 April 1917 Son of Simon Peter and Bertha Frances [Ecker] Appel.

Enlisted

29 July 1940 Enlisted in Army

Enlisted

19 May 1943 Enlisted in Aviation Cadets

Other

Accepted Commission as 1st Lt

20 August 1943 Accepted commission as 1st Lt

Other

Date leaving for War in Europe

23 February 1944 - 1 March 1944 Traveling to EAMET

Other

Evadee

5 September 1944 - 23 November 1944 Crashed on last B 24 mission. Was an evadee in France near Surboug, 80 days from 30th Bomber mission, B24 #4250511. He was kept hidden by the French famer Louis Wencker until liberated by US troops on 23rd Nov. 1944.  

Based

3 January 1945 - 16 April 1945 P46 Thunderbolt Pilot with the 56th fighter group 62nd fighter squadron.

Other

Evadee

16 April 1945 - 26 April 1945 Evadee in Germany near Zangberg by Munich after being shot on April 16th, 1945, when strafing the Mühldorf Aerodrome. He traveled by foot and hid out for 10 days, obtaining food and drink from farmers. P-47 #4421230

Other

Returned from War in Europe

6 June 1945 - 22 June 1945 Returning to USA

Other

Separation from Service

16 December 1946 Separation from Army Air Corp at Ft Sheridan.

Died

3 February 1997 Edward was born April 14, 1917 in Minnesota and died February 3rd, 1997 in Redfield SD. He moved to Redfield in 1921, and enlisted in the army in July 29th 1940, was part of the 81st School Squadron 1941 at Stockton Field, CA. He was part of the 445th, 93rd, and 389th Bomb Groups before transferring to the 56th Fighter Group. On his 30th Bomber mission, Sept 5th 1944 he was shot down near Surbough, France and evaded the enemy for 80 days with the help of a French farmer. On his 17th fighter mission, April 16th 1945 he was shot down again as the pilot of a P47 near Munich and evaded the enemy for 10 days on foot. He returned to Redfield, married Crystal Crook, had 6 children and owned the business Appel Oil Co.

Other

Reserve service

14 April 1977 Continued in the Air Force Reserved, retiring as a Lt. Col. in 1977. The SD group was disbanded.

Based

5 September 1944 B24 Liberator Pilot with the 445th, 93rd, and 389th Bomber groups. Only mission with the 389th was his last bomber mission. He was the copilot with Lt Frazee's crew.

Buried/ Commemorated

Saint Bernard Cemetery Redfield Spink County South Dakota, USA

Revisions

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Contributorjmoore43
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Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

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Juliann Pendolino

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Juliann Pendolino

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Julian Pendolino

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ContributorLucy May
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Brought in information from two other duplicate entries. Now includes information from the following sources:
Birsic / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia
Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

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ContributorLucy May
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Combined two entries for Edward W Appel. This entry now contains information from the following sources:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 13863 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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Juliann Pendolino

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Juliann Pendolino

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Juliann Pendolino

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Juliann Pendolino, daughter

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Juliann Pendolino, daughter

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Juliann Pendolino, daughter

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Juliann Pendolino, daughter

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Juliann Pendolino, daughter

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Juliann Pendolino, daughter

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Juliann Pendolino, daughter

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Juliann Pendolino, daughter

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Edward's highest rank in WW2 was Major, and then he was in the reserves as a LTC. Juliann Pendolino, daughter

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Correspondence with Juliann Pendolino, Edward Appel's daughter.

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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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Contributorjpendolino
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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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Contributorjpendolino
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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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Contributorjpendolino
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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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Contributorjpendolino
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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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Contributorjpendolino
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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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Contributorjpendolino
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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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Contributorjpendolino
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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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Contributorjpendolino
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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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Contributorjpendolino
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Juliann Pendolino, daughter of Edward Appel

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ContributorAAM
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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8599 / MACR 8599 & SECOND AIR DIVISION by Turner Publishing Company, D790.A2S45, 1998, page 197 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Edward Walter Appel: Gallery (13 items)