Francis Edward Owens Jr
Military ROLL OF HONOUR'Bud' Owens was on B-17F #42-29928 when it was shot down near la Coulonche, Normandy on 4th July 1943. Mission #7 to the Gnome-Rhone engine factory in Le Mans, France. MACR 161.
He evaded with Lt Ballinger for months until the Lt dropped out of the border crossing due to leg troubles. S/Sgt Owens was left behind in the Pyrenees due to exhaustion. He was left with Lt Harold Bailey and T/Sgt William "Bill" Plaskett.
He managed to evade capture only to die of exposure attempting to cross the Pyrenees on 25 October 1943. Buried in the Ardennes AMC.
S/Sgt Owens was awarded the Soldiers Medal for dragging wounded men out of harm's way during the Caroline explosion on 23 June 1943 at Ridgewell Station 167.
Pittsburgh, PA
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: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-736459
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35661197
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19069301 at enlistment, then O-737353
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39242710
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34315087
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 4 July 1943
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Ardennes American Cemetery, Liege, Belgium
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 26 December 1921 | |
Enlisted |
Pittsburgh, PA, USA | 12 September 1942 | |
Died |
Port de Rat, Andorra | 25 October 1943 | Died of exposure while attempting to cross the Pyrenees |
Based |
4 July 1943 | ||
Buried |
Plot A Row 8 Grave 16 |
Revisions
Sources:
MACR
E&E report of pilot Olof Ballinger
http://budowens.blogspot.fr/
381st Bomb Group Memorial Association, March 1999; MACR 161 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 161 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database