On 28 September 1944 mission #248 to Magdenburg, Germany in B-17G #43-38572 (No name) (360BS) PU-A. The aircraft was last seen in formation, under control. The right wing was on fire after being hit by German fighter gunfire. No parachutes were seen departing the B-17. It crashed near Homburg, Germany. All crewmen were killed. Eleven 303rd B-17s were lost on this mission after being attacked by an estimated forty FW-190 and ME-109 German fighters.
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The Wasco News
Friday, November 4, 1944
Front Page
PLANE SHOT DOWN
WASCO GUNNER ONE OF B-17 CREW
"Missing in action over Germany since September 28," was the text of a message from the War Department concerning Staff Sergeant Lorne P. Cole, son of Mr and Mrs. R. T. Cole of Wasco, who was radio operator and gunner on a Flying Fortress operating out of England for the U. S. Army Air Corps. The young man has been awarded the Air Medal for "Meritorious achievement" and had nearly completed the required missions when his plane was shot down.
Staff Sergeant Cole enlisted at Minter Field in August, 1941 when attending Bakersfield Junior college. He was driver of the bus between Wasco and Bakersfield and was not inducted until February, 1942.
Lorne first reported at Santa Ana for basic training following which he was sent to New Mexico, thence to Scott Field, Illinois to the Parent Radio school. A gunnery school course of training took place in Arizona, then for combat training to Rapid City, South Dakota. The crew flew their plane across to England.
Promotion to Staff Sergeant was given to Lorne the first of October. During his stay in England, Sergeant Cole visited London where he saw many of the famous places of historical interest and visited the London Zoo which he said was much larger than the St. Louis Zoological Gardens which he had also visited. While in London he rode in the subway and also had a good time riding on the two-story buses.
Sergeant Cole is a graduate of the Wasco schools and he was reared in the community. Friends are hoping and praying with the family that good news will be received of his safety.
---------------
The Wasco News
Friday, January 5, 1945
Front Page
SGT. LORNE COLE REPORTED KILLED, PLANE SHOT DOWN
Mr. and Mrs. R. T. Cole were notified recently that their son, Staff Sergeant Lorne R. Cole, was killed on September 28, when the B-17 plane on which he was radio operator and gunner, was shot down over Germany. The Coles had received a message from the War Department in October that Sergeant Cole was missing in action over Germany and this latest communication informs them that it is reported through the German government and the Red Cross that he was killed at that time.
Sergeant Cole had enlisted at Minter Field in August 1941, but was not inducted until February, 1942, when attending Bakersfield junior college. He was driver on one of the school buses. He had been in England since the early part of the year.
The sympathy of the community is extended to the family in the loss of their splendid son, who was well liked and a popular young man with students and teachers of the faculties of the Wasco schools.
**************
born: 26 July 1921 Kern Co., CA
died: 18 Sept. 1944 in Germany
Parents lived in Wasco
-----------
The Wasco News
Friday, November 4, 1944
Front Page
PLANE SHOT DOWN
WASCO GUNNER ONE OF B-17 CREW
"Missing in action over Germany since September 28," was the text of a message from the War Department concerning Staff Sergeant Lorne P. Cole, son of Mr and Mrs. R. T. Cole of Wasco, who was radio operator and gunner on a Flying Fortress operating out of England for the U. S. Army Air Corps. The young man has been awarded the Air Medal for "Meritorious achievement" and had nearly completed the required missions when his plane was shot down.
Staff Sergeant Cole enlisted at Minter Field in August, 1941 when attending Bakersfield Junior college. He was driver of the bus between Wasco and Bakersfield and was not inducted until February, 1942.
Lorne first reported at Santa Ana for basic training following which he was sent to New Mexico, thence to Scott Field, Illinois to the Parent Radio school. A gunnery school course of training took place in Arizona, then for combat training to Rapid City, South Dakota. The crew flew their plane across to England.
Promotion to Staff Sergeant was given to Lorne the first of October. During his stay in England, Sergeant Cole visited London where he saw many of the famous places of historical interest and visited the London Zoo which he said was much larger than the St. Louis Zoological Gardens which he had also visited. While in London he rode in the subway and also had a good time riding on the two-story buses.
Sergeant Cole is a graduate of the Wasco schools and he was reared in the community. Friends are hoping and praying with the family that good news will be received of his safety.
---------------
The Wasco News
Friday, January 5, 1945
Front Page
SGT. LORNE COLE REPORTED KILLED, PLANE SHOT DOWN
Mr. and Mrs. R. T. Cole were notified recently that their son, Staff Sergeant Lorne R. Cole, was killed on September 28, when the B-17 plane on which he was radio operator and gunner, was shot down over Germany. The Coles had received a message from the War Department in October that Sergeant Cole was missing in action over Germany and this latest communication informs them that it is reported through the German government and the Red Cross that he was killed at that time.
Sergeant Cole had enlisted at Minter Field in August 1941, but was not inducted until February, 1942, when attending Bakersfield junior college. He was driver on one of the school buses. He had been in England since the early part of the year.
The sympathy of the community is extended to the family in the loss of their splendid son, who was well liked and a popular young man with students and teachers of the faculties of the Wasco schools.
**************
born: 26 July 1921 Kern Co., CA
died: 18 Sept. 1944 in Germany
Parents lived in Wasco
On 28 September 1944 mission #248 to Magdenburg, Germany in B-17G #43-38572 (No name) (360BS) PU-A. The aircraft was last seen in formation, under control. The right wing was on fire after being hit by German fighter gunfire. No parachutes were seen departing the B-17. It crashed near Homburg, Germany. All crewmen were killed. Eleven 303rd B-17s were lost on this mission after being attacked by an estimated forty FW-190 and ME-109 German fighters.
-----------
The Wasco News
Friday, November 4, 1944
Front Page
PLANE SHOT DOWN
WASCO GUNNER ONE OF B-17 CREW
"Missing in action over Germany since September 28," was the text of a message from the War Department concerning Staff Sergeant Lorne P. Cole, son of Mr and Mrs. R. T. Cole of Wasco, who was radio operator and gunner on a Flying Fortress operating out of England for the U. S. Army Air Corps. The young man has been awarded the Air Medal for "Meritorious achievement" and had nearly completed the required missions when his plane was shot down.
Staff Sergeant Cole enlisted at Minter Field in August, 1941 when attending Bakersfield Junior college. He was driver of the bus between Wasco and Bakersfield and was not inducted until February, 1942.
Lorne first reported at Santa Ana for basic training following which he was sent to New Mexico, thence to Scott Field, Illinois to the Parent Radio school. A gunnery school course of training took place in Arizona, then for combat training to Rapid City, South Dakota. The crew flew their plane across to England.
Promotion to Staff Sergeant was given to Lorne the first of October. During his stay in England, Sergeant Cole visited London where he saw many of the famous places of historical interest and visited the London Zoo which he said was much larger than the St. Louis Zoological Gardens which he had also visited. While in London he rode in the subway and also had a good time riding on the two-story buses.
Sergeant Cole is a graduate of the Wasco schools and he was reared in the community. Friends are hoping and praying with the family that good news will be received of his safety.
---------------
The Wasco News
Friday, January 5, 1945
Front Page
SGT. LORNE COLE REPORTED KILLED, PLANE SHOT DOWN
Mr. and Mrs. R. T. Cole were notified recently that their son, Staff Sergeant Lorne R. Cole, was killed on September 28, when the B-17 plane on which he was radio operator and gunner, was shot down over Germany. The Coles had received a message from the War Department in October that Sergeant Cole was missing in action over Germany and this latest communication informs them that it is reported through the German government and the Red Cross that he was killed at that time.
Sergeant Cole had enlisted at Minter Field in August 1941, but was not inducted until February, 1942, when attending Bakersfield junior college. He was driver on one of the school buses. He had been in England since the early part of the year.
The sympathy of the community is extended to the family in the loss of their splendid son, who was well liked and a popular young man with students and teachers of the faculties of the Wasco schools.
**************
born: 26 July 1921 Kern Co., CA
died: 18 Sept. 1944 in Germany
Parents lived in Wasco
-----------
The Wasco News
Friday, November 4, 1944
Front Page
PLANE SHOT DOWN
WASCO GUNNER ONE OF B-17 CREW
"Missing in action over Germany since September 28," was the text of a message from the War Department concerning Staff Sergeant Lorne P. Cole, son of Mr and Mrs. R. T. Cole of Wasco, who was radio operator and gunner on a Flying Fortress operating out of England for the U. S. Army Air Corps. The young man has been awarded the Air Medal for "Meritorious achievement" and had nearly completed the required missions when his plane was shot down.
Staff Sergeant Cole enlisted at Minter Field in August, 1941 when attending Bakersfield Junior college. He was driver of the bus between Wasco and Bakersfield and was not inducted until February, 1942.
Lorne first reported at Santa Ana for basic training following which he was sent to New Mexico, thence to Scott Field, Illinois to the Parent Radio school. A gunnery school course of training took place in Arizona, then for combat training to Rapid City, South Dakota. The crew flew their plane across to England.
Promotion to Staff Sergeant was given to Lorne the first of October. During his stay in England, Sergeant Cole visited London where he saw many of the famous places of historical interest and visited the London Zoo which he said was much larger than the St. Louis Zoological Gardens which he had also visited. While in London he rode in the subway and also had a good time riding on the two-story buses.
Sergeant Cole is a graduate of the Wasco schools and he was reared in the community. Friends are hoping and praying with the family that good news will be received of his safety.
---------------
The Wasco News
Friday, January 5, 1945
Front Page
SGT. LORNE COLE REPORTED KILLED, PLANE SHOT DOWN
Mr. and Mrs. R. T. Cole were notified recently that their son, Staff Sergeant Lorne R. Cole, was killed on September 28, when the B-17 plane on which he was radio operator and gunner, was shot down over Germany. The Coles had received a message from the War Department in October that Sergeant Cole was missing in action over Germany and this latest communication informs them that it is reported through the German government and the Red Cross that he was killed at that time.
Sergeant Cole had enlisted at Minter Field in August 1941, but was not inducted until February, 1942, when attending Bakersfield junior college. He was driver on one of the school buses. He had been in England since the early part of the year.
The sympathy of the community is extended to the family in the loss of their splendid son, who was well liked and a popular young man with students and teachers of the faculties of the Wasco schools.
**************
born: 26 July 1921 Kern Co., CA
died: 18 Sept. 1944 in Germany
Parents lived in Wasco
Bio by: Sandra Tyler Duncan
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