Thomas Beauford Cole
Military ROLL OF HONOURUSAAF photo
Assigned to 613BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 4 x combat missions with 401BG. Failed to Return (FTR) Berlin in B-17 42-30855 'Ol' Massa' 8-May-44; shot down. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 4586
From his brother:
"He was part of a crew on Ol' Massa when it was shot down over Germany on return back to England from a bombing raid. Three of the crew were taken as Prisoner of War (POW)'s, the other eight died and were buried in a common grave at the Prisoner of War (POW) camp until after the war. In 1946 the remains of the buried were brought to the Netherlands American Cemetery where they were identified by very sparse remaining ID items such a laundry tag number (as in my brother's case) and families notified. My parents chose to have my brother's remains buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.
No member of my family (8 siblings) had ever visited until last June 10, 2012, when my husband and I made a trip there. It is a beautiful cemetery and the family who adopted his grave could not have been more gracious, thankful, appreciative of all the Americans buried there. As they said, 'he is our hero'."
Awards: AM, PH.
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: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14103271 / O-803232
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ol Massa
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Benefield
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, The Netherlands
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Haughton, Louisiana | 9 June 1922 | Son of Hugh Eustace and Louise Cole. |
Enlisted |
Jacksonville, FL | 6 January 1942 | Jacksonville, Florida |
Died |
Balkum, Germany | 8 May 1944 | Failed to Return (FTR) Berlin in B-17 42-30855 'Ol' Massa' 8-May-44; shot down. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 4586 |
Buried |
Netherlands American Cemetery | Re-Interred Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten, Netherlands Plot P Row 18 Grave 16 | |
Based |
Deenethorpe | 8 May 1944 | Assigned to 613BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/image/29032261
https://www.fold3.com/image/310762431
https://www.fold3.com/record/83986261/thomas-b-cole-wwii-army-enlistmen…
https://www.fold3.com/record/529872033/thomas-b-cole-american-battle-mo…
https://www.fold3.com/record/704182567/cole-thomas-b-us-wwii-hospital-a…
http://401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=1159
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56297692/thomas-b-cole
Brought in information from duplicate records. Sources:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=1159 /
MACR 4586 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4586