Edward Walter Appel
Military
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
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 6917758
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Aircraft
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 |
Saint Bernard Cemetery Redfield Spink County South Dakota, USA |
Revisions
Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.
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
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
Edward's highest rank in WW2 was Major, and then he was in the reserves as a LTC. Juliann Pendolino, daughter
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
