William Elmer Bohan
MilitaryMay - July 1943. Co-pilot, Owen Crew. 381st BG, 532nd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 25 July 1943 in B-17 #42-29976 'Sad Sack' after attempted bombardment mission #12 on Hamburg, Germany (target: Focke-Wulf factory from 29 or 30,000 FT). MACR 128. Plane crashed near the Elbe River north east of Hamburg due to anti-aircraft fire to #3 engine and structural damage. Lead plane in third element before leaving formation. All crew bailed out. Lt Bohan was shot through the lung by a civilian upon parachute landing and attempting to surrender. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III and Stalag VIIA. Liberated May 1945.
Waukesha, WI
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39173560
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-735967
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15330207
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17054561
- Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34799115 / O-403870
- Highest Rank: Brigadier General
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sad Sack
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 25 July 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
7 November 1918 | ||
|
Enlisted |
Oconomowoc, WI | 15 October 1940 | |
|
Other Prisoner of War |
25 July 1943 - 27 August 1943 | Lubec Hospital | |
|
Other Prisoner of War |
28 August 1943 - 9 September 1943 | Dulag Luft | |
|
Other Prisoner of War |
Zagan, Poland | 11 September 1943 - 27 January 1945 | Stalag Luft III |
|
Other Prisoner of War |
Moosburg, Germany | 3 February 1945 - 29 April 1945 | Stalag VIIA |
|
Died |
26 March 2003 | ||
|
Based |
Ridgewell | 25 July 1943 | |
|
Buried |
Florida National Cemetery Section 1B Row 6C Site 6 |
Revisions
381st Bomb Group Memorial Association, March 1999; MACR 128 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 128 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database