Personnel

CREW



2ND LT WILLIAM E. HOWARD P POW 7 APR 45 BUCHEN sn# 0-775364

2ND LT GENARO DELGADO   CP POW 7 APR 45 BUCHEN

2ND LT DOUGLAS R. JONES   NAV POW 7 APR 45 BUCHEN

    CPL MICHAEL MATY   ROG KIA 7 APR 45 BUCHEN

    CPL EDWARD E. HALL   TTE POW 7 APR 45 BUCHEN

    CPL EDWARD T. TRUITT   BTG NOC

    CPL SAMUEL C. LUNSFORD, JR.  TOG POW 7 APR 45 BUCHEN

    CPL RUSSELL E. BOLDING  WG POW 7 APR 45 BUCHEN

    CPL GEORGE F. THOMAS   TG KIA 7 APR 45 BUCHEN



349th Sqdn.  Crew, as above, joined the 100th Goup on 30 Dec 44.

On the 7 Apr 45 Buchen mission, S/Sgt Louis A. Lehrmann from the the C.R. Sanford crew flew in place of Edward Truitt and  was KIA.



EYEWITNESS:  "A/C -# 44-8334 XR-M was attacked by an ME 109.  The #3 engine caught fire and the pilot peeled out of formation to the left and feathered #3 engine.  The fire appeared to go out in the engine but the wheel well was blazing. The bombs were salvoed, the aircraft completed a 180 fegree turn and headed back alone. It was last seen diving into a cloud bank.  There were 40 to 50 enemy fighters in the area."



For most of the crew it was the 21st to 24 th missions,  many of the surviving crewmembers feel Michael Maty, Louis A. Lehrmann and George F. Thomas were murdered by German civilians when they landed.. Lt Howard was captured within 15 minutes of landing.  He ended up in Stalag Luft 1.



  MISSIONS OF 1st LT WILLIAM E. HOWARD (mpf 2002)



1. 20/01/45 BREISAK

2. 21/01/45 MANNHEIM

3. 29/01/45 KASSEL

4. 31/01/45 BREMEN

5. 03/03/45 BERLIN

6. 14/02/45 CHEMNITZ

7. 15/02/45 COTTBUS

8. 19/02/45 MUNSTER

9. 20/02/45 NURNBURG

10. 21/02/45 NURNBURG

11. 25/02/45 MUNICH

12. 26/02/45 BERLIN

13. 03/03/45 BRUNSWICK

14. 04/03/45 ULM

15. 08/03/45 FRANKFURT

16. 12/03/45 SWINEMUNDE

17. 14/03/45 HANOVER

18. 15/03/45 ORANIENBURG

19. 18/03/45 BERLIN

20. 19/03/45 FULDA/JENA

21. 21/03/45 RUHLAND/PLAUEN

22. 24/03/45 ZIEGENHAIN

23. 05/04/45 NURNBURG

24. 06/04/45 LEIPZIG

25 07/04/45 BUCHEN-SHOT DOWN



Hello!

I have the location of George F. Thomas' burial  in Ft Snelling 

Cemetery, MN for S.Sgt. George F. Thomas, the tail gunner on a B17 with 

the William Howard group, shot down over Buchen Germany on April 7, 

1945, believed to be killed by civilians after bailing out at that time. 

The information is as follows, for those interested. Could you please 

include it with his page? Thank you kindly!



Sincerely,

Veronica Jo (Thomas) Lewis, granddaughter of  S Sgt George F. Thomas 

(daughter of "Kenny")   karmagurl@bektel.com



INFORMATION AS FOLLOWS:

Burial place:

Fort Snelling National Cemetary

7601 34th Avenue, South Minneapolis, MN 55450

(612) 726-1127

*****************

Thomas, George F.

Burial Place: Section C-3, Site 7941 (map on site)

DOB: 2/12/1922

DOD:4/7/1945

S/SGT US Air Force

******************



RIP Grandfather. Too bad I never got to know you. Peace.  *Ronnie Jo*