Edward Gilbert Eschinger
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-37598.jpeg
UPL 37598
"Lt. Thomas and crew of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, in front of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Vicious Virgin". England, 10 March 1945."
Rear L-R: S/Sgt Walter E Smith, S/Sgt Harry W. Haynes Jr, Sgt Melvin Conrad Carlson, Sgt Edward Gilbert Eschinger, Sgt Louis L Contreras.
Front L-R: 2Lt Max Richard Bartholomew, 2Lt Blaine E Thomas, 2Lt Roger Clinton Lee, 2Lt Walter L Lacy.
Rear L-R: S/Sgt Walter E Smith, S/Sgt Harry W. Haynes Jr, Sgt Melvin Conrad Carlson, Sgt Edward Gilbert Eschinger, Sgt Louis L Contreras.
Front L-R: 2Lt Max Richard Bartholomew, 2Lt Blaine E Thomas, 2Lt Roger Clinton Lee, 2Lt Walter L Lacy.
Assigned to 427BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 21 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Dresden in B-17 'Sack-Time' 42-102544; A/C crashed near Dresden on 17-Apr-45. Reached the ground safely, but captured by angry civilians. Air Defense Guard Helmut Orb shot him in the back, killing him. No one was ever prosecuted for this murder. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 14168
Awards: AM (2OLC), PH.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-785019
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sack Time
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron 427th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 17 April 1945
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Ardennes American Cemetery, Liege, Belgium
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA | 7 September 1920 | Son of Edward and Elva E Eschinger. |
Enlisted |
Philadelphia, PA | 11 October 1943 | |
Died |
Dresden, Germany | 17 April 1945 | Failed to Return (FTR) Dresden in B-17 'Sack-Time' 42-102544; A/C crashed near Dresden on 17-Apr-45. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 14168 |
Based Killed in Action (KIA) |
Molesworth | 17 April 1945 | Assigned to 427BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Buried |
Re-Interred Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial Plot C, Row 23, Grave 10 |
Revisions
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 14168 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database