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Robert S. O'CONNOR
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Source : Jacky EMERY (Ellen Marchese) | |||||||
| NUMBER OF SERVICE | O-661542 | ||||||
| AGE | 25 yo | ||||||
| DATE OF BIRTH | 16 October 1918 conté de Milwaukee WISCONSIN | ||||||
| ENLISTMENT STATE | WISCONSIN | ||||||
| FAMILY | Parents : Arthur & Elen O'CONNOR | ||||||
| RANK |
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| FONCTION | Pilot | ||||||
| JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT |  | ||||||
| DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 1942 | ||||||
| SQUADRON | 358th Bombardier Squadron | ||||||
| GROUP | 303rd Bombardier Group | ||||||
| ARMY | 8th US Air Force | ||||||
| DATE OF DEATH | 3 July 1943 |
Source : Dominique Potier | |||||
| STATUS | KIA | ||||||
| PLACE OF DEATH |
Malicorne / Sarthe place known as the four wood priests of Montabon | ||||||
| DATA PLAN |
B-17 Fortress - type F-20-VE - s/n 42-5792 VK*I
Macr : Mission: Gnome and Rhône Factory - Le Mans (72) Shot down by fighter Focke Wulf 190 piloted by Hptm Egon Mayer of JG2 (formation from 30 to 35 Fw) Partially evacuated device | ||||||
| CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMETERY COMMUNAL of Ouest au Mans
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| CEMETERY | NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville | ||||||
| GRAVE |
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| DECORATION |
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| STORY | |||||||
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Lieutenant O'CONNOR was promoted to pilot on 10 May 1943, from 11 February 1942 to 12 June 1942 he conducted flight training at GOWEN FIELD state IDAHO. His mother had come to see him with a friend spend the day with his son in BATTLECREEK (Calhoum County) MICHIGAN, before leaving for England, he was eager to serve his country. On July 4, it takes off from the station of MOLESWORTH ( Cambrigeshire), the B17 Fortress are protected by hunters Spifire and P47 Thunderbolt, But in flight, the hunters were ordered to turn back because of the deteriorating weather conditions on the English Channel and England. | |||||||
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Source : Patootie
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The B17 are without protection against German hunting. It is the 22nd mission of Lt O'CONNOR, their mission to bomb the marshalling station of Le MANS (Sarthe) the aerodrome but especially the RENAULT factory which manufactures engines of Junker JU 885 ( bombardier) and the factory GNOME RHONE which it manufactures engines of Folk Wulf F 190 ( fighter) but his B17 is hit by the FLAK ( anti aerial battery) above Laval ( Mayenne) an engine and a wing are on fire and Lt gives the order to evacuate the aircraft, he remains at the controls with the sub Lt PETERSSON, because it does not want to crash on the village of Malicorne/ Sarthe and falls 3 Kms further in the wood of Montabon. The two airmen perish in the Crash. Lt O'CONNOR will be buried in the Cemetery of the West in Le Mans which still exists and rests today at Colleville Cemetery ( American Cemetery ) when his comrade under Lt PETTERSON both side by side. Note: It is the hptm ( captain ) Egon MAYER of JG2 ( 2nd fighter squadron ) who will give the finishing touch to the B17. | ||||||
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1 Lt Robert S. O'Connor p 2 Lt Donovan B. Manifold c-p F/O Andrew N. Halioris nav 2 Lt Richard W. Peterson bomb TSgt Bernard H. Koening eng/tt gun TSgt Earl Hague r/o SSgt Albert V. Carroll btg Sgt Harry Thompson-Brundidge lwg Sgt Edward F. Chumskie rwg SSgt John Zioance tail gun | |||||||
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Source : Jacky EMERY |
Source : Jacky EMERY | ||||||
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Source : JP Gentil | |||||||
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Source : Fabienne Dufour |
Source : Fabienne Dufour | ||||||
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Crew of B-17 Fortress - type F-20-VE - s/n 42-5792 VK*I"The Mugger"
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| 1Lt | Robert S O'CONNOR | Pilote | Dead | Cim Am Colleville-sur-Mer (14) | O-661542 - AM+3 - Wisconsin |
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| 2Lt | Donovan B | MANIFOLD | CoPilote | Prisoner | O-885683 - Pennsylvania USA - Stalag Luft III Sagan-Silesia | |
| T/Sgt | Bernard H | KOENIG | Mitrailleur | fugitive | 17011996 - AM+3 - Né le 20/09/1922 - Spencer, Nebraska - Evasion by Réseau Bourgogne-Pyrenees |
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| T/Sgt | Earl | HOGUE | Radio | Prisoner | 15088413 - Ohio - Stalag Luft III Sagan-Silesia | |
| F/O | Andrew N | HALIORIS | Navigateur | Prisoner | T-190723 - Stalag Luft III Sagan-Silesia Bavaria | |
| 2Lt | Richard W | PETERSON | Bombardier | Dead | Cim Am Colleville-sur-Mer (14) |
O-671093 - PH - Colorado USA |
| S/Sgt | Albert Van Hook | CARROLL | Mitrailleur | fugitive | 18065235 - AM+2 - Né 27/07/1923 - Evasion by Réseau Bourgogne-Pyrenees |
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| Sgt | Edward F | CHONSKIE | Mitrailleur | fugitive | 33488987 - Evasion par Réseau Bourgogne-Pyrenees | |
| Sgt | Harry Thompson | BRUNDIGE | Mitrailleur | Prisoner | 10601006 - Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow | |
| S/Sgt | John | ZIOANCE | Mitrailleur | fugitive | 13055409 - Evasion by Réseau Bourgogne-Pyrenees |
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| SOURCE INFORMATION & SOURCE PHOTO | JP Gentil - Francecrashes39-45.net - Abmc.gov - Findagrave.com |
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| PROGRAMMEURS | Eric, Henri, Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |