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Military
Robert Owens Crew, 384th BG, 547th BS Back row (left to right): Unidentified (news reporter or observer); Unidentified; S/Sgt. Albert S. Horan (BT); Unidentified; Lt. Robert C. Owens (P); S/Sgt. William D. Munro (RO); Lt. William Barry (N); Front row (left to right): Unidentified; S/Sgt. Carlton W. King (TG); S/Sgt. Vanny D. Squires (TT); Lt. Richard C. Buswell (CP); S/Sgt. Vernon P. Gardner (WG); S/Sgt. Ivan C. Berry (WG). Missing from this photo is Lt. Lambert Muller-Thym (Bombardier). Note that there are 13 crewmen in the photo. This picture was a flight to Nantes, France to deliver Christmas gifts to the children on 30 December 1944. The unidentified men were probably along for the Christmas celebration. 10 January 1945: Some of the crewmembers pictured above bailed out of "SILVER QUEEN". That crew included: Pilot- 2nd lt. Richard Buswell. Copilot - 2nd Lt. Charles A. Huff Nav.- F/O John Zimmerman Toggeler (Bombardier) Sgt. Ivan C. Berry Top Turret - T/Sgt.Vanny D. Squiers Radio/gunner - T/Sgt. William D. Munro Ball Turret - S/Sgt. Albert G. Gardner Tail Gun - Sgt. Carlton W. King
Assigned to 547BS, 384BG, 8AF USAAF. Robert Owens crew. 36 x combat missions. B-17 44-6592 'Stardust' damaged by flak over Berlin 3-Feb-45. Pilot 2nd Lt. Ruckman flew damaged a/c behind Soviet lines and force landed at an airfield near Torun, Poland. Repaired plane and returned to base. Crew returned to duty in Mar-45. RTD
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | First Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to 547BS, 384BG, 8AF USAAF. 35 missions from 18-Aug-44 to 10-Jan-45. Shot down on 35th mission and bailed out over Belgium.
Awards: AM (5OLC), PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | 384th Bomb Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
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Group
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by...
Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 28/8/43; Scott 16/9/43; Assigned 544BS/384BG Grafton Underwood 7/11/43; transferred 547BS [SO-N]; transferred to 364FG Leiston, Sfk, UK. 11/43; Returned to the USA Bradley 14/7/45; 4185 BU Independence 17/7/45; Reconstruction Finance...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/11/43; New Castle 10/12/43; Presque Is 15/12/43; Assigned 547BS/384BG [SO-C] Grafton Underwood 21/1/44; sal battle damaged 27/4/44. NEVADA AVENGER.
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 16/8/44; Lincoln 24/8/44; Grenier 10/9/44; Assigned 547BS/384BG [SO-J] Grafton Underwood 23/9/44; returning from mission leading edge of aircraft iced up, then lost two engines crash landed base 20/1/45 with Warren Freshman, Co-pilot...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 27/8/44; Hunter 17/9/44; Grenier 27/8/44; Assigned 547BS/384BG [SO-G] Grafton Underwood 7/10/44; Salvaged 13/6/45.(22/3/45?)
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Hunter 24/9/44; Grenier 2/10/44; Assigned 547BS/384BG [SO-K] Grafton Underwood 6/10/44; battle damaged Zeitz 30/11/44 with ? ; abandoned over continent; transferred with group to Istres on mapping duties, Salvaged 9AF Germany 31/10/45....
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Lincoln 16/9/44; Grenier 2/10/44; Assigned to the 547th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group [SO-S] Grafton Underwood 28 October 1944; Missing in Action on a mission to Berlin, 3 February 1945 with George F. Ruckman, Fiorino A. Cinquanta, John O....
Military site : airfield
Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Tonawanda, NY | 24 February 1925 |
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Son of Albert Leroy and Dorothy Ann [Siegmund] Horan. |
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| Enlisted | 1943 | |
| Based | Grafton Underwood | August 1944 – January 1945 |
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Assigned to 547BS, 384BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Promotion | Grafton Underwood, UK | 14 August 1944 |
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Promoted to Staff Sergeant. |
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| Landed off base on continent | Torun, Poland | 3 February 1945 – March 1945 |
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Landed off base on continent due to flak damage. Landed at Torun, Poland. A/C repaired and flown back to base. |
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| Discharged USAAF | September 1945 | |
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Honourable discharge. |
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| Enlisted | Buffalo, NY | 17 October 1945 |
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Buffalo, New York |
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| Discharged USAF | 1974 | |
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31 years service in USAAF/USAF. Honourable discharge. |
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| Died | Loma Linda, CA | 28 February 2012 |
| Buried | Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, Riverside County, CA | 16 March 2012 |
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Riverside National Cemetery |
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