Owen Roane: To John Justice
Memorial Letter from Owen Roane to John Justice Valley View, Texas Memorial Day, 1995 John K. Justice Dear Old Friend, Yesterday I heard the report that you were again missing from the formation. It saddened me greatly, but not so much as when I heard the report of your missing in action on the tenth […]
Owen Roane: Second Schweinfurt
by Owen D. “Cowboy” Roane Four days after the Munster catastrophe, our crew was called to briefing for another mission. Our briefing room was not crowded, because there seemed to be almost as many on stage to tell us how to fly the mission as there were participants in the venture. Scheduled as Air Boss […]
Owen Roane: King Hovde and Roane
100th BG Photo Archives Richard C. King center, flanked here by Edward H. Hovde on King’s right and the Legendary 100th Pilot Owen D. Cowboy Roane to his left. Here Roane is the co-pilot on the King crew before being assigned his own crew. It was Roane’s fate to be an eyewitness to the loss […]
Owen Roane: The King and I – A Cowboy Roane Tribute
by Owen “Cowboy” Roane August finally ended with a flight to Mulan les Meureaux to bomb an aircraft repair depot. The flight was cancelled as we neared the outskirts of Paris. Weather again covered the target area so there would be no random dropping of bombs over friendly land. We returned with our five hundred […]
Owen Roane: To Charlie Beck
Memorial Letter from Owen Roane to Charlie Beck Valley View, Texas February 27, 1996 Dear Charlie, This is a letter I should have written to you long ago. When I was tapped to serve as President of the 100th Bomb Group Association, you were there as Vice President for Membership to support me, and you have […]
Owen Roane: Blitz Week by “Cowboy” Roane
by “Cowboy” Roane On the eighteenth of July we were alerted for a mission to Kassel, a target far inside Germany and of course it would be far beyond the range of our friendly fighters. Just before the flight was to take off, it was cancelled due to reports of poor weather lingering over the […]
Owen Roane: Feat of the “Laden Maiden”
Group III Instructor Recalls Feat of the ‘Laden Maiden’ from an interview with Curtis Campbell in 1945 Bombs – Away (by an unknown base newspaper reporter — Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma) This is the story of how “Old Man” Roane, (he was 19 then) went to Germany on a bombing mission and rammed the B-17 Laden Maiden […]
Owen Roane: The King and I
by Owen D. Roane This is a short excerpt from The Cowboy’s book “A year in the Life of a Cowboy” as well as notes from the many interviews I had with Owen D. Roane” This depicts the loss of Richard King’s crew at what the 100th refers to as “Over Paris” What happened is […]
Robert Hughes: Letters
Capt. Robert L. Hughes – Letters Information provided by Michael B. Hughes, the son of Robert L. Hughes Mother of Joseph F. Boyle reply to a letter of condolence sent to her by Robert L. Hughes following the loss of her son at Gelsenkircken 05 Nov 43. After six decades it remains a moving experience […]
Robert Hughes: Important Dates
Capt. Robert L. Hughes – Important Dates Information provided by Michael B. Hughes, the son of Robert L. Hughes These dates were of paramount importance to Robert L. Hughes Name Subject Date Notations 1st Mission Lille 15 Aug 43 271 (Aircraft #) 2nd Mission Ever?? Airport 31 Aug 43 271 (Aircraft #) 3rd Mission Paris 03 Sep 43 […]