Owen D Roane
Military
USAAF Photo
Object Number - UPL 56088 - 2nd Lt Owen D Roane
Assigned to 349BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF. Owen was only the second pilot to complete a tour (30 x missions) and led the mission to Schweinfurt on 14-Oct-43 'Black Thursday'.
Awards: DFC (2OLC), AM (4OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (3 x Battle stars).
Post War: After the war he was called back for duty on the Berlin Airlift then serving in Japan, the UK and Alaska retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He was later elected Mayor of his home town Valley View Texas and held the position of C-in-C Civil Air Guard. He was also President of the 100th BG Association 1991-1993.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
![Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378743.jpg.webp?itok=HBB0lqjl)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Valley View, TX | 6 November 1921 | Son of Thomas Asbury and Lillie Rachel [Leach] Roane. |
|
Enlisted |
Dallas, TX | 28 August 1940 | Dallas, Texas |
|
Died |
Valley View, TX | 2 January 2002 | Owen D. Roane was born in Valley View to Thomas & Lillie R. LEACH Roane. On May 22, 1943 he married Betty Gene BROOKS in Gainesville. As a WWII combat pilot, he completed 28 missions in the B-17 Flying Fortress with the 100th Bomb Group in Europe. Retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1963 as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC) , the Air Medal with four OLC , the Presidential Unit Citation with two OLC, the Berlin Airlift Medal and numerous others. After military retirement he began a 20 year career as a math teacher, principal and superindent. Former Mayor of Valley View. Sons; John and Tom, daughters; Carol and Martha. |
|
Buried |
Valley View Cemetery Valley View, Cooke County, TX | 5 January 2002 | Valley View Cemetery Valley View, Cooke County, Texas |
|
Based |
Thorpe Abbotts | Assigned to 349BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Added a connection to the 100th BG - see pg. 181 in the book"Flying Fortress" by Edward Jablonski.
100th Bomb Group Foundation Directory, 2000 - 2001 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia
