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
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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/ Commemorated |
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