Joseph Luke Burns

Military
media-38130.jpeg UPL 38130 Joseph Luke Burns at enlistment - October 1942 (Burns family)

Photo from Joseph Burns' family

Object Number - UPL 38130 - Joseph Luke Burns at enlistment - October 1942 (Burns family)

Joseph Burns was Engineer on board B-17 #42-39840 on the 1 December 1943 mission to Solingen and Leverkusen, Germany. Severely damaged by Flak and thinking the plane was lost, Burns and five other crew members bailed out and landed near Alken, Belgium. Unaware of this, Charles F. Hess gave the order to bail out. Hearing nothing from the men in the middle and back sections of the plane, it was discovered they weren't on board anymore. As Co-Pilot John W. Mitchell couldn't find his parachute, the three other men decided to stay on board the plane as long as possible. Throwing equipment, guns, etc. overboard, the lightened plane was safely flown back to England and landed at the RAF Manston air base. Joseph Burns was one of the five men who initially evaded and were captured. Only gunner Raymond Nield managed to successfully evade. See Joseph Burn's story of evasion and capture at http://www.evasioncomete.be/fburnsjl.html

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-686264
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 12141782
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16034422
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania 2 February 1923 The son of Joseph and Marie Burns

Enlisted

Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania 10 October 1942 as a Private in the Air Corps

Other

bailed out

1 December 1943 over Belgium, from Flak-damaged B-17 42-39840

Other

evaded capture

1 December 1943 - 11 December 1943 with the help of Belgian citizens and members of the Résistance and the Comète evasion network

Other

arrested

11 December 1943 in Keerbergen, Belgium

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

11 December 1943 Interned at Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow (Tychowo), Poland, then force-marched to other camps and liberated. NARA WWII POW records : "Returned to Military Control 12 July 1945."

Died

Scottsdale, Arizona 22 November 1997
Wilkes Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Buried

East Hanover, Morris County, New Jersey Gate of Heaven Cemetery

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Updated website address in Bio

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Upated location for Birth, Lived in, Died, Buried & Enlisted events.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
WWII Draft Card
US Census 1930
Correspondence and meetings with daughter Mary Burns Surdy
Research for Joseph Burns' page at http://www.evasioncomete.org/fburnsjl.html

Date
ContributorPhillWray
Changes
Sources

Memorial messages added from correspondence with his daughter.

Date
ContributorPhillWray
Changes
Sources

Middle name added from correspondence with his daughter.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes

Joseph Luke Burns: Gallery (2 items)