Harold P Loch
MilitaryL to R Front Row: S/Sgt Cecil N Scott, Altoona, PA., Ball Turret. S/Sgt Clarence B Winchell, Oak Park, IL. L Waist gunner. S/Sgt John P Quinlan, Yonkers, NY., Tail gunner. S/Sgt Casimer A Nastal, Detroit, MI. R Waist gunner.
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A06266-23971AC.
Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Native of Wisconsin, he joined the USAAC in 1941, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor. In February 1943, Loch was assigned to the B-17 bomber 'Memphis Belle' as the flight engineer and top turret gunner, replacing Eugene Adkins. On 17-May-43, the bomber and her crew would ultimately become the first to fly all of it's required twenty-five mission tour in the European theater.
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Post war: He entered the construction business and eventually founded his own home construction company. Also served the state of Wisconsin as the Brown County Register of Deeds from 1947 until 1974.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Memphis Belle
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Green Bay, WI, USA | 29 November 1919 | Son of Joseph and Mary [Ronk] Loch. |
Enlisted |
Fort Sheridan, IL, USA | 17 November 1941 | |
Died |
Brown County, WI, USA | 12 November 2004 | |
Brown County, WI, USA | |||
Based |
Bassingbourn | Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. | |
Other War bonds tour |
United States | War bond tour with Memphis Belle across the US. | |
Buried |
Green Bay, WI, USA | Fort Howard Memorial Park Green Bay Brown County Wisconsin, USA |