Melvin Sidney Thaler

Military

Assigned to 832BS, 486BG, 8AF USAAF. 6 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Brandenburg in B-17 43-37820; shot down 10-Apr-45 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 13910



Awards: AM, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.



Post war: Served in USAF in Korean conflict, retiring at the rank of Lt Colonel.

Connections

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Units served with

A diagrammatic layout of AAF Station 174 - the USAAF codename for Sudbury airfield - while the 486th Bomb Group were stationed at the airbase as of the 22 June 1944.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31314985
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33282040
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12220667
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant (RAF)
  • Role/Job: Togglier / Nose Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 486th Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron 832nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14161546
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36467392
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Aerial photograph of Sudbury airfield looking south west, the bomb dump is to the upper right of the airfield, 29 February 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC188. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Acton

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Hartford, Connecticut, USA 3 January 1918 Son of Fred Thaler.

Other

Baled out POW

10 April 1945 Failed to Return (FTR) Brandenburg in B-17 43-37820; shot down 10-Apr-45 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 13910

Died

Olney, MD 7 September 2007

Buried

11 September 2007 Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia Section: 5-P Row: 1, Site: 2

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 10 April 1945 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I.

Based

Sudbury 10 April 1945 Assigned to 832BS, 486BG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

West Point Graduate

West Point Military Academy, NY West Point class - Jan 43

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 13910 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database