John Harold Allen was the son of John David Allen & Katie A. Allen and the brother of Mary Katherine Allen. He was born 4 Jun 1920 in Dallas, Texas. He attended Texas A&M. He enlisted in the US Air Corps on 3 Jan 1942. He was the pilot of a B-24 that went down in the village of Mirns, Netherlands as they were returning from a mission to Osnabruck. He and 7 members of the crew were killed in action. He was awarded a Purple Heart. He was originally buried in the Netherlands. In 1950, he was returned to the US. He is now buried in the Memphis National Cemetery. Section A. Site 4108 with 3 fellow crew members. You can read more of the story below.
*****************************************
Thank you to Anthony L. Destro, II, nephew of 2nd LT Anthony L. Destro, for the information below and for sponsoring this memorial.
*****************************************
JOHN HAROLD ALLEN, 1st LT,
US Army Air Forces, 0-465407
From Dallas, TX
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Crew Member Position ~ Pilot (PIC-Pilot In Command)
B-24 ~ Serial # 42-7554
Nicknamed: “Tail End Charlie”
Assigned to:
8th Air Force
445th Bomber Group (Heavy)
702nd Bomber Squadron
22 DEC 1943, Mirns, Holland, Age=unknown ~ Killed In Action
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1LT Allen flew his badly damaged B-24 till the end until it could fly no more. He gave the order to bail out to his crew, and 3 of the 10 air crew members survived after the fatal crash of his B-24.
1LT Allen abided by the laws of aviation that derived from mariner’s sea laws. And that states: “…that a captain will be the last person to leave a ship alive prior to its sinking or utter destruction, and if unable to evacuate their crew and passengers, the captain will not evacuate themselves.”
This is some of the story of an American Hero!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On 22 DEC 1943 orders were for the 445th Bomber Group to send in its bombers to targeted areas in Osnabruck & Munster, Germany.
A massive raid consisting of 225 B-17’s & 121 B-24 flew to their targets.
Between 1356L-1532L hours they struck their targets.
5 B-17’s & 12 B-24’s are lost.
Reports from the field were relayed that:
6 immediately confirmed KIA (killed in action)
12 WIA (wounded in action)
160 MIA (missing in action), sadly almost all of the MIA’s will turn into KIA’s.
1LT Allen’s’ B-24 departed on the bombing mission with a 10 man crew. They completed their tasking, however came under attack by German fighters.
According to the Co-pilot, 2nd LT Erwin J. Beinvs’ interrogation report to the US Army Air Forces, he stated:
“…the B-24 was hit by flak over the target, losing the oxygen supply in the nose. They left the formation and went down to 14,000 feet to give oxygen to the three men in the nose (this is where the Bombardier, 2nd LT Destro would have been seated). The plane was then hit by a German ME110 and raked from end to end.”
On that mission, 7 air crew members’ lost their lives, 1 evaded capture for 473 days, and 2 became POW’s.
Although the story is tragic, families & loved ones are now able to read through several of the most reliable sources of exactly what happened to their service member or loved ones.
Thanks to Mr. Jaap Halma, a Dutchman who resides not far from the crash site. Mr. Halma conducted an amazing research project into this event in 2014.
And 7 decades after this crash, and through his lengthy and through research came upon the eye witnesses that actually saw this B-24, “Tail End Charlie” as it was crashing into a cemetery in Mirns, Holland.
Mr. Halma’s historical research story of the crash was published in March 2014 in: Periodical of the Heritage League of the Second Air Division (USAAF), Issue Number 54, P.15.
This is a direct web link to his incredible research and the story as told by the eye witnesses who saw the B-24 crashing: The story starts on page 15.
http://www.heritageleague.org/brian/54.pdf
Also available and recently released by the US Government is the full and very detailed “Debriefing, aka “INTERROGATION” Report” of the Co-Pilot, 2LT Erwin J. Bevins who was lucky enough to bail out of the B-24 seconds before it crashed. He evaded capture for 473 days in Holland with the help of the Dutch people.
http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-2946.pdf
And a final document the MACR = Missing Air Crew Report (MACR # 15597).
I have this available, please email me if you would like to read it a copy.
Please recognize and thank another Dutchman, Mr. Alexander Tuinhout. Mr. Tuinhout is an Archivist at Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden, Holland.
Mr. Tuinhout tracked down our family in the US from Holland several years and has provided much research & information to my family, to include the original published MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) that we never saw before.
He has been hard at work researching information and spending countless hours corresponding with government agencies for the release of information on not only on this particular event, but on other WW II events and historical stories.
A very big thanks’ to our Dutch friends Mr. Jaap Halma & Mr. Alexander Tuinhout for their hard work.
The value of this information is, and will be to future family generations “priceless”!
The country of Holland, and its Dutch citizens contributed immensely to the U.S. and its allies war efforts during WW II. They saved many allied lives by assisting in underground efforts to provide medical aid, food, supplies, hide and repatriate fallen soldiers & airmen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let us not forget the other crew members that were on that B-24 that crashed 2 days before Christmas, 22 DEC 1943. They are:
2ND LT Erwin James Bevins, JR., Co-Pilot ~ Evaded Capture
2ND LT Joseph F. Gill Jr., Navigator ~ POW
2ND LT Anthony L. Destro, Bombardier ~ KIA
T/Sgt John R. Elder, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner ~ KIA
T/Sgt Oscar Robbins Jr., Radio Operator ~ KIA
T/Sgt James C. Owens, Ass. Engineer ~ KIA
S/Sgt Everette Morrison Odom, Waist Gunner ~ KIA
S/Sgt Joseph J. Pavelko, Tail Turret Gunner ~ KIA
S/Sgt Harry L. Henry, Ass. Engineer ~ POW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1LT Allen was originally buried in Holland. In 1950 several families made arrangements for their loved ones remains to be repatriated to the US. 1LT Allen, along with 3 of his fellow air crew members are buried together, they are:
*1st LT. John Harold Allen, Pilot
-------------( find a grave # 272408 )
*2nd LT. Anthony Louis Destro, Bombardier
-------------( find a grave # 3153625 )
*T/SGT. James Carl Owens, Asst. Engineer
------------- ( find a grave#3166134 )
*T/SGT. Oscar Robbins, Jr., Radio Operator
------------- ( find a grave # 3168435 )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We pay great tribute to those POW’s and airmen who lost their lives on that day and let the story of exactly what happened be known to their family members and loved ones on that day, DEC 22, 1943 in Mirns, Holland.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My name is Anthony L. Destro, II. My uncle, 2nd LT Anthony L. Destro was the Bombardier air crew member on this B-24 mission who perished together with 1LT Allen and their other 5 air crew members.
************************************************
*****************************************
Thank you to Anthony L. Destro, II, nephew of 2nd LT Anthony L. Destro, for the information below and for sponsoring this memorial.
*****************************************
JOHN HAROLD ALLEN, 1st LT,
US Army Air Forces, 0-465407
From Dallas, TX
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Crew Member Position ~ Pilot (PIC-Pilot In Command)
B-24 ~ Serial # 42-7554
Nicknamed: “Tail End Charlie”
Assigned to:
8th Air Force
445th Bomber Group (Heavy)
702nd Bomber Squadron
22 DEC 1943, Mirns, Holland, Age=unknown ~ Killed In Action
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1LT Allen flew his badly damaged B-24 till the end until it could fly no more. He gave the order to bail out to his crew, and 3 of the 10 air crew members survived after the fatal crash of his B-24.
1LT Allen abided by the laws of aviation that derived from mariner’s sea laws. And that states: “…that a captain will be the last person to leave a ship alive prior to its sinking or utter destruction, and if unable to evacuate their crew and passengers, the captain will not evacuate themselves.”
This is some of the story of an American Hero!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On 22 DEC 1943 orders were for the 445th Bomber Group to send in its bombers to targeted areas in Osnabruck & Munster, Germany.
A massive raid consisting of 225 B-17’s & 121 B-24 flew to their targets.
Between 1356L-1532L hours they struck their targets.
5 B-17’s & 12 B-24’s are lost.
Reports from the field were relayed that:
6 immediately confirmed KIA (killed in action)
12 WIA (wounded in action)
160 MIA (missing in action), sadly almost all of the MIA’s will turn into KIA’s.
1LT Allen’s’ B-24 departed on the bombing mission with a 10 man crew. They completed their tasking, however came under attack by German fighters.
According to the Co-pilot, 2nd LT Erwin J. Beinvs’ interrogation report to the US Army Air Forces, he stated:
“…the B-24 was hit by flak over the target, losing the oxygen supply in the nose. They left the formation and went down to 14,000 feet to give oxygen to the three men in the nose (this is where the Bombardier, 2nd LT Destro would have been seated). The plane was then hit by a German ME110 and raked from end to end.”
On that mission, 7 air crew members’ lost their lives, 1 evaded capture for 473 days, and 2 became POW’s.
Although the story is tragic, families & loved ones are now able to read through several of the most reliable sources of exactly what happened to their service member or loved ones.
Thanks to Mr. Jaap Halma, a Dutchman who resides not far from the crash site. Mr. Halma conducted an amazing research project into this event in 2014.
And 7 decades after this crash, and through his lengthy and through research came upon the eye witnesses that actually saw this B-24, “Tail End Charlie” as it was crashing into a cemetery in Mirns, Holland.
Mr. Halma’s historical research story of the crash was published in March 2014 in: Periodical of the Heritage League of the Second Air Division (USAAF), Issue Number 54, P.15.
This is a direct web link to his incredible research and the story as told by the eye witnesses who saw the B-24 crashing: The story starts on page 15.
http://www.heritageleague.org/brian/54.pdf
Also available and recently released by the US Government is the full and very detailed “Debriefing, aka “INTERROGATION” Report” of the Co-Pilot, 2LT Erwin J. Bevins who was lucky enough to bail out of the B-24 seconds before it crashed. He evaded capture for 473 days in Holland with the help of the Dutch people.
http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-2946.pdf
And a final document the MACR = Missing Air Crew Report (MACR # 15597).
I have this available, please email me if you would like to read it a copy.
Please recognize and thank another Dutchman, Mr. Alexander Tuinhout. Mr. Tuinhout is an Archivist at Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden, Holland.
Mr. Tuinhout tracked down our family in the US from Holland several years and has provided much research & information to my family, to include the original published MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) that we never saw before.
He has been hard at work researching information and spending countless hours corresponding with government agencies for the release of information on not only on this particular event, but on other WW II events and historical stories.
A very big thanks’ to our Dutch friends Mr. Jaap Halma & Mr. Alexander Tuinhout for their hard work.
The value of this information is, and will be to future family generations “priceless”!
The country of Holland, and its Dutch citizens contributed immensely to the U.S. and its allies war efforts during WW II. They saved many allied lives by assisting in underground efforts to provide medical aid, food, supplies, hide and repatriate fallen soldiers & airmen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let us not forget the other crew members that were on that B-24 that crashed 2 days before Christmas, 22 DEC 1943. They are:
2ND LT Erwin James Bevins, JR., Co-Pilot ~ Evaded Capture
2ND LT Joseph F. Gill Jr., Navigator ~ POW
2ND LT Anthony L. Destro, Bombardier ~ KIA
T/Sgt John R. Elder, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner ~ KIA
T/Sgt Oscar Robbins Jr., Radio Operator ~ KIA
T/Sgt James C. Owens, Ass. Engineer ~ KIA
S/Sgt Everette Morrison Odom, Waist Gunner ~ KIA
S/Sgt Joseph J. Pavelko, Tail Turret Gunner ~ KIA
S/Sgt Harry L. Henry, Ass. Engineer ~ POW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1LT Allen was originally buried in Holland. In 1950 several families made arrangements for their loved ones remains to be repatriated to the US. 1LT Allen, along with 3 of his fellow air crew members are buried together, they are:
*1st LT. John Harold Allen, Pilot
-------------( find a grave # 272408 )
*2nd LT. Anthony Louis Destro, Bombardier
-------------( find a grave # 3153625 )
*T/SGT. James Carl Owens, Asst. Engineer
------------- ( find a grave#3166134 )
*T/SGT. Oscar Robbins, Jr., Radio Operator
------------- ( find a grave # 3168435 )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We pay great tribute to those POW’s and airmen who lost their lives on that day and let the story of exactly what happened be known to their family members and loved ones on that day, DEC 22, 1943 in Mirns, Holland.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My name is Anthony L. Destro, II. My uncle, 2nd LT Anthony L. Destro was the Bombardier air crew member on this B-24 mission who perished together with 1LT Allen and their other 5 air crew members.
************************************************
John Harold Allen was the son of John David Allen & Katie A. Allen and the brother of Mary Katherine Allen. He was born 4 Jun 1920 in Dallas, Texas. He attended Texas A&M. He enlisted in the US Air Corps on 3 Jan 1942. He was the pilot of a B-24 that went down in the village of Mirns, Netherlands as they were returning from a mission to Osnabruck. He and 7 members of the crew were killed in action. He was awarded a Purple Heart. He was originally buried in the Netherlands. In 1950, he was returned to the US. He is now buried in the Memphis National Cemetery. Section A. Site 4108 with 3 fellow crew members. You can read more of the story below.
*****************************************
Thank you to Anthony L. Destro, II, nephew of 2nd LT Anthony L. Destro, for the information below and for sponsoring this memorial.
*****************************************
JOHN HAROLD ALLEN, 1st LT,
US Army Air Forces, 0-465407
From Dallas, TX
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Crew Member Position ~ Pilot (PIC-Pilot In Command)
B-24 ~ Serial # 42-7554
Nicknamed: “Tail End Charlie”
Assigned to:
8th Air Force
445th Bomber Group (Heavy)
702nd Bomber Squadron
22 DEC 1943, Mirns, Holland, Age=unknown ~ Killed In Action
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1LT Allen flew his badly damaged B-24 till the end until it could fly no more. He gave the order to bail out to his crew, and 3 of the 10 air crew members survived after the fatal crash of his B-24.
1LT Allen abided by the laws of aviation that derived from mariner’s sea laws. And that states: “…that a captain will be the last person to leave a ship alive prior to its sinking or utter destruction, and if unable to evacuate their crew and passengers, the captain will not evacuate themselves.”
This is some of the story of an American Hero!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On 22 DEC 1943 orders were for the 445th Bomber Group to send in its bombers to targeted areas in Osnabruck & Munster, Germany.
A massive raid consisting of 225 B-17’s & 121 B-24 flew to their targets.
Between 1356L-1532L hours they struck their targets.
5 B-17’s & 12 B-24’s are lost.
Reports from the field were relayed that:
6 immediately confirmed KIA (killed in action)
12 WIA (wounded in action)
160 MIA (missing in action), sadly almost all of the MIA’s will turn into KIA’s.
1LT Allen’s’ B-24 departed on the bombing mission with a 10 man crew. They completed their tasking, however came under attack by German fighters.
According to the Co-pilot, 2nd LT Erwin J. Beinvs’ interrogation report to the US Army Air Forces, he stated:
“…the B-24 was hit by flak over the target, losing the oxygen supply in the nose. They left the formation and went down to 14,000 feet to give oxygen to the three men in the nose (this is where the Bombardier, 2nd LT Destro would have been seated). The plane was then hit by a German ME110 and raked from end to end.”
On that mission, 7 air crew members’ lost their lives, 1 evaded capture for 473 days, and 2 became POW’s.
Although the story is tragic, families & loved ones are now able to read through several of the most reliable sources of exactly what happened to their service member or loved ones.
Thanks to Mr. Jaap Halma, a Dutchman who resides not far from the crash site. Mr. Halma conducted an amazing research project into this event in 2014.
And 7 decades after this crash, and through his lengthy and through research came upon the eye witnesses that actually saw this B-24, “Tail End Charlie” as it was crashing into a cemetery in Mirns, Holland.
Mr. Halma’s historical research story of the crash was published in March 2014 in: Periodical of the Heritage League of the Second Air Division (USAAF), Issue Number 54, P.15.
This is a direct web link to his incredible research and the story as told by the eye witnesses who saw the B-24 crashing: The story starts on page 15.
http://www.heritageleague.org/brian/54.pdf
Also available and recently released by the US Government is the full and very detailed “Debriefing, aka “INTERROGATION” Report” of the Co-Pilot, 2LT Erwin J. Bevins who was lucky enough to bail out of the B-24 seconds before it crashed. He evaded capture for 473 days in Holland with the help of the Dutch people.
http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-2946.pdf
And a final document the MACR = Missing Air Crew Report (MACR # 15597).
I have this available, please email me if you would like to read it a copy.
Please recognize and thank another Dutchman, Mr. Alexander Tuinhout. Mr. Tuinhout is an Archivist at Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden, Holland.
Mr. Tuinhout tracked down our family in the US from Holland several years and has provided much research & information to my family, to include the original published MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) that we never saw before.
He has been hard at work researching information and spending countless hours corresponding with government agencies for the release of information on not only on this particular event, but on other WW II events and historical stories.
A very big thanks’ to our Dutch friends Mr. Jaap Halma & Mr. Alexander Tuinhout for their hard work.
The value of this information is, and will be to future family generations “priceless”!
The country of Holland, and its Dutch citizens contributed immensely to the U.S. and its allies war efforts during WW II. They saved many allied lives by assisting in underground efforts to provide medical aid, food, supplies, hide and repatriate fallen soldiers & airmen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let us not forget the other crew members that were on that B-24 that crashed 2 days before Christmas, 22 DEC 1943. They are:
2ND LT Erwin James Bevins, JR., Co-Pilot ~ Evaded Capture
2ND LT Joseph F. Gill Jr., Navigator ~ POW
2ND LT Anthony L. Destro, Bombardier ~ KIA
T/Sgt John R. Elder, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner ~ KIA
T/Sgt Oscar Robbins Jr., Radio Operator ~ KIA
T/Sgt James C. Owens, Ass. Engineer ~ KIA
S/Sgt Everette Morrison Odom, Waist Gunner ~ KIA
S/Sgt Joseph J. Pavelko, Tail Turret Gunner ~ KIA
S/Sgt Harry L. Henry, Ass. Engineer ~ POW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1LT Allen was originally buried in Holland. In 1950 several families made arrangements for their loved ones remains to be repatriated to the US. 1LT Allen, along with 3 of his fellow air crew members are buried together, they are:
*1st LT. John Harold Allen, Pilot
-------------( find a grave # 272408 )
*2nd LT. Anthony Louis Destro, Bombardier
-------------( find a grave # 3153625 )
*T/SGT. James Carl Owens, Asst. Engineer
------------- ( find a grave#3166134 )
*T/SGT. Oscar Robbins, Jr., Radio Operator
------------- ( find a grave # 3168435 )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We pay great tribute to those POW’s and airmen who lost their lives on that day and let the story of exactly what happened be known to their family members and loved ones on that day, DEC 22, 1943 in Mirns, Holland.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My name is Anthony L. Destro, II. My uncle, 2nd LT Anthony L. Destro was the Bombardier air crew member on this B-24 mission who perished together with 1LT Allen and their other 5 air crew members.
************************************************
*****************************************
Thank you to Anthony L. Destro, II, nephew of 2nd LT Anthony L. Destro, for the information below and for sponsoring this memorial.
*****************************************
JOHN HAROLD ALLEN, 1st LT,
US Army Air Forces, 0-465407
From Dallas, TX
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Crew Member Position ~ Pilot (PIC-Pilot In Command)
B-24 ~ Serial # 42-7554
Nicknamed: “Tail End Charlie”
Assigned to:
8th Air Force
445th Bomber Group (Heavy)
702nd Bomber Squadron
22 DEC 1943, Mirns, Holland, Age=unknown ~ Killed In Action
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1LT Allen flew his badly damaged B-24 till the end until it could fly no more. He gave the order to bail out to his crew, and 3 of the 10 air crew members survived after the fatal crash of his B-24.
1LT Allen abided by the laws of aviation that derived from mariner’s sea laws. And that states: “…that a captain will be the last person to leave a ship alive prior to its sinking or utter destruction, and if unable to evacuate their crew and passengers, the captain will not evacuate themselves.”
This is some of the story of an American Hero!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On 22 DEC 1943 orders were for the 445th Bomber Group to send in its bombers to targeted areas in Osnabruck & Munster, Germany.
A massive raid consisting of 225 B-17’s & 121 B-24 flew to their targets.
Between 1356L-1532L hours they struck their targets.
5 B-17’s & 12 B-24’s are lost.
Reports from the field were relayed that:
6 immediately confirmed KIA (killed in action)
12 WIA (wounded in action)
160 MIA (missing in action), sadly almost all of the MIA’s will turn into KIA’s.
1LT Allen’s’ B-24 departed on the bombing mission with a 10 man crew. They completed their tasking, however came under attack by German fighters.
According to the Co-pilot, 2nd LT Erwin J. Beinvs’ interrogation report to the US Army Air Forces, he stated:
“…the B-24 was hit by flak over the target, losing the oxygen supply in the nose. They left the formation and went down to 14,000 feet to give oxygen to the three men in the nose (this is where the Bombardier, 2nd LT Destro would have been seated). The plane was then hit by a German ME110 and raked from end to end.”
On that mission, 7 air crew members’ lost their lives, 1 evaded capture for 473 days, and 2 became POW’s.
Although the story is tragic, families & loved ones are now able to read through several of the most reliable sources of exactly what happened to their service member or loved ones.
Thanks to Mr. Jaap Halma, a Dutchman who resides not far from the crash site. Mr. Halma conducted an amazing research project into this event in 2014.
And 7 decades after this crash, and through his lengthy and through research came upon the eye witnesses that actually saw this B-24, “Tail End Charlie” as it was crashing into a cemetery in Mirns, Holland.
Mr. Halma’s historical research story of the crash was published in March 2014 in: Periodical of the Heritage League of the Second Air Division (USAAF), Issue Number 54, P.15.
This is a direct web link to his incredible research and the story as told by the eye witnesses who saw the B-24 crashing: The story starts on page 15.
http://www.heritageleague.org/brian/54.pdf
Also available and recently released by the US Government is the full and very detailed “Debriefing, aka “INTERROGATION” Report” of the Co-Pilot, 2LT Erwin J. Bevins who was lucky enough to bail out of the B-24 seconds before it crashed. He evaded capture for 473 days in Holland with the help of the Dutch people.
http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-2946.pdf
And a final document the MACR = Missing Air Crew Report (MACR # 15597).
I have this available, please email me if you would like to read it a copy.
Please recognize and thank another Dutchman, Mr. Alexander Tuinhout. Mr. Tuinhout is an Archivist at Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden, Holland.
Mr. Tuinhout tracked down our family in the US from Holland several years and has provided much research & information to my family, to include the original published MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) that we never saw before.
He has been hard at work researching information and spending countless hours corresponding with government agencies for the release of information on not only on this particular event, but on other WW II events and historical stories.
A very big thanks’ to our Dutch friends Mr. Jaap Halma & Mr. Alexander Tuinhout for their hard work.
The value of this information is, and will be to future family generations “priceless”!
The country of Holland, and its Dutch citizens contributed immensely to the U.S. and its allies war efforts during WW II. They saved many allied lives by assisting in underground efforts to provide medical aid, food, supplies, hide and repatriate fallen soldiers & airmen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let us not forget the other crew members that were on that B-24 that crashed 2 days before Christmas, 22 DEC 1943. They are:
2ND LT Erwin James Bevins, JR., Co-Pilot ~ Evaded Capture
2ND LT Joseph F. Gill Jr., Navigator ~ POW
2ND LT Anthony L. Destro, Bombardier ~ KIA
T/Sgt John R. Elder, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner ~ KIA
T/Sgt Oscar Robbins Jr., Radio Operator ~ KIA
T/Sgt James C. Owens, Ass. Engineer ~ KIA
S/Sgt Everette Morrison Odom, Waist Gunner ~ KIA
S/Sgt Joseph J. Pavelko, Tail Turret Gunner ~ KIA
S/Sgt Harry L. Henry, Ass. Engineer ~ POW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1LT Allen was originally buried in Holland. In 1950 several families made arrangements for their loved ones remains to be repatriated to the US. 1LT Allen, along with 3 of his fellow air crew members are buried together, they are:
*1st LT. John Harold Allen, Pilot
-------------( find a grave # 272408 )
*2nd LT. Anthony Louis Destro, Bombardier
-------------( find a grave # 3153625 )
*T/SGT. James Carl Owens, Asst. Engineer
------------- ( find a grave#3166134 )
*T/SGT. Oscar Robbins, Jr., Radio Operator
------------- ( find a grave # 3168435 )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We pay great tribute to those POW’s and airmen who lost their lives on that day and let the story of exactly what happened be known to their family members and loved ones on that day, DEC 22, 1943 in Mirns, Holland.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My name is Anthony L. Destro, II. My uncle, 2nd LT Anthony L. Destro was the Bombardier air crew member on this B-24 mission who perished together with 1LT Allen and their other 5 air crew members.
************************************************
