Francis Goodwin ALLEN

B-17 Fortress - type G-15-BO - s/n 42-31374 IN*B

Macr: 3185
Mission: Gorenflos (80)  Base V1 
Takeoff: Station 128 Deenethorpe, Sussex UK 

Plan du Normandy American Cemetery

Francis was born Jun 25, 1921, in Joliet, Will County, Illinois.
They later moved to Staunton, Macoupin, Illinois.
Francis attended the Methodist Sunday School in Staunton.
And he was an expert basketbal player in the grade school.
Then he enlisted to the air corps.
In 1943 he arrived in England to join the 401st BG
On Dec 2, 1943 he married to Ruth Mitchell, a English girl from Huntingdon, England.
At the time that francis died, she was pregnant...
His last mission, Mar 13, 1944, Target: Gorenflos, France, after dropping bombs the plane was hit by flak.
Ship was afire and exploded before hitting undercast.
He was awarded with an Air Medal and a Purple Heart Medal
In 1944, when Francis died on the age of 22 he left behind his family :

His wife, Ruth Allen
His daughter, Frances Allen
His father, Crawford C. Allen, age 64
His mother, Lillian Allen, age 53
His brother, Crawford Allen, age 20

 B 17 du 401st BGH

According to the left waist gunner, Royce W Moore, Francise was standing beside him when the ship blew up.
He was found near the wreckage of the plane.
But according to a message of the International Red cross, Francis was badly wounded and he died in a German Prison Camp.
On march 18, he was buried at a English World War Memorial Cemetery, Abbeville/Somme (Grave J-6)
Later on he was reburied at Normandy cemetery, France, Plot : D , Row : 15 , Grave : 46

Edwardsville Intelligencer, Apr 27, 1946