William Elmer Bohan

Military

May - 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

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • 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

Places

  • 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/ Commemorated

Florida National Cemetery Section 1B Row 6C Site 6

Revisions

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mro 2017-07-25 from post war officer debriefings

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Sources

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