Roland  Dare  BOWMAN

 

bowman roland d
NUMBER OF SERVICEO-460502
AGE23 yo
DATE OF BIRTH22 july 1920 Crystal City, Jefferson County, MISSOURI
ETATPENNSYLVANIA
FAMILY--
RANKSecond Lieutenant
FONCTIONNavigator
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT-PA
DATE of ENLISTEMENT-
 SQUADRON561st  Bomb Squadron
 GROUP388th Bomb Group Heavy
ARMY8th US Air Force
DATE OF DEATH5 december 1943bowman roland d tombe
STATUSKIA
PLACE OF DEATH Colleville  - BAYEUX
DATA PLAN

B-17 Fortress - type F-125-BO - s/n 42-30837 *S

"Ole Bassar"

b17
Macr: 5022 
Mission: Bordeaux
Take-off station 136 Knettishall, Suffolk UK

Shot by fighter - Engine # 1 HS

Airplane partially evacuated by parachute around 2500 feet - 15.30

CEMETERY TEMPORARY

CEMETERY TEMPORARY of Blosville N°3508

blosville

CEMETERYNORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
B231
DECORATION

Air Medal + OLC

Purple Heart

am olc

Photo FDLM

 

usaf  8air force  388bg  561bs
STORY

by Laurent Rodange
On December 5, 1943, the B-17 Flying Fortress Number 42-30837 named "Ole Bassar" while returning from a mission to Bordeaux, was hit by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 above Cognac.

Its engine N°1 hs, the crew tries to reach England. Passing over Calvados, particularly above the WN 60 strongpoint at Colleville sur Mer, he was hit again.

The plane caught fire, part of the crew evacuated the aircraft.

But others are unable to extricate themselves and will perish in the carsh of the plane which will crash on Colleville behind the wn62.

A few hours later, 2 bodies touch the shore of Omaha Beach. The Germans will strip the jewels and other objects of the pilots.

2 other crew members survive. One of them the T/SGT Charles J Simco will be taken prisoner,

He was helped by a resident who provided him with civilian clothes.

But at the sight of a German patrol which was in pursuit, he raised his arms and surrendered without resistance. The inhabitant will be rifleman to him during the day.

As for the 2LT Willingham Clarence, it managed to flee to Switzerland. The order will be given to Lieutenant Hans Frerking stationed at wn 62 to keep the wreckage still on fire.

According to his statements, he could smell the burnt smell of human flesh despite the fire.

Lieutenant Hans Frerking will subsequently be killed on June 6, 1944 at Wn 62.

Several members of the crew are now in the Colleville American Cemetery

bowman roland d fdlm

Sponsorship card for "Fleur de la Mémoire"


 Crew of B-17 Fortress - type F-125-BO - s/n 42-30837 *S

"Ole Bassar"

2nd Lieutenant Paul Albert TODD Pilot Dead  West Lynn, MASSACHUSETTS - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang
2nd Lieutenant Clarence Drew WILLINGHAM CoPilot Escaped  El Paso, TEXAS - Escaped by Switzerland
2nd Lieutenant Roland Dare  BOWMAN  Navigator Dead Cim Am Colleville-sur-Mer   San Diego, CALIFORNIA 
2nd Lieutenant Raymond Albert LULL Bomber Dead Inconnu  Schenectady, NEW YORK 
T/Sergeant Arthur Kintner STILES Radio/gunner Dead Gettysburg Nat Cem. Pennsylvania   22 yo -  Beccaria, PENSYLVANIA 
T/Sergeant Charles J SIMCO Mechanic/gunner Prisonner  Minneapolis, MINNESOTA - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow
S/Sergeant William Lewis MORRIS gunner Dead Mill Spring Nat Cem. Nancy, Kentucky   Lincoln Park, MICHIGAN 
S/Sergeant Arthur Elbridge  MATHIEU  gunner Dead Cim Am Colleville-sur-Mer   Dorchester, MASSACHUSETTS
S/Sergeant Herbert H SCHUMAN gunner Dead    New York, New York 
S/Sergeant James Robert  DOUGLAS  gunner Dead Cim Am Colleville-sur-Mer   Born 25/01/1924 à Monnett, Barry Co, MISSOURI; - Fils de R E et Beulah M Douglas
S/Sergeant William E Jr  DAVIS  Photographe Dead Cim Am Colleville-sur-Mer   563eBS - Conshcrocken, PENNSYLVANIA

bowman roland d crew

Crew of B 17 "Ole Bassar" 42-30837

b 17 


SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOFindagrave.com - Francecrashes39-45.net - Monty Mc DANIEL - Holly Je
PROGRAMMERFrédéric & Renaud
Partagez moi ...