Joseph Charles Minery

Military

Assigned to 652BS, 25BG, 8AF USAAF. On 9-May-44 the mission to the Azores was routine until the last leg. Just out from Land's End when all hell broke loose. There was a terrible metal ripping sound and some explosions. Bullets and 20mm shells ripped into the rear fuselage wounding 2 crew. Crew fought off 4 x Ju88's, downing one and forcing a second to trail off homewards with smoke from one engine. RAF spitfire escort, responding to the ships mayday, pointed out the damaged undercarriage, whilst the two failed engines also became apparent. Clary Stephenson bellied landed Lands End. 3 x WIA, 5 x RTD. Returned to Duty (RTD). Crashed fatally on take off for weather recon to Azores 6-Jun-44 Returned to Duty (RTD).



Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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Units served with

A B-26 Marauder of the 654th Bomb Squadron, 25th Bomb Group, parked on a runway. Handwritten on reverse: '654 BS.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Reconnaissance

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 25th Bomb Group 652nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15110085 / O-754300
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 25th Bomb Group 652nd Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

New Haven, CT, USA 12 March 1920 Son of Joseph Minery.

Enlisted

Hartford, CT, USA 17 December 1942

Other

Survived forced landing

Land's End, Sennen, Penzance TR19 7AA, UK 9 May 1944 Survived forced landing due to combat damage. 9-May-44.

Other

Survived fatal crash landing

Watton, Thetford IP25, UK 6 June 1944 Survived fatal crash landing due to engine failure. 6-Jun-44.

Died

New Haven County, CT, USA 4 September 1984

Based

Watton Assigned to 652BS, 25BG, 8AF USAAF.

Buried

980 Old Colony Rd, Meriden, CT 06451, USA Saint Boniface Cemetery Meriden, New Haven County, CT

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Aerial Intelligence of the 8th Air Force, pg 38 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia