R O Henley Jr
Military
Object Number - UPL 81151 - 1st Lt R O Henley Jr and wife Barbara
R.O. Henley Jr. flew a total of eight sortie missions on four different planes, including: “Snuffy”, “Doris Mae”, “Yankee Powerhouse II”, and “April’s Fool”.
He served as navigator on seven missions, and one mission as bombardier. He and his crew were shot down July 25, 1943 on the "April's Fool". They all survived and became Prisoners of War at Stalag Luft III.
Assigned to 545BS, 384BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 25-Jul-43 in B-17 42-3122 'April's Fool', Prisoner of War (POW).
Awards: AM, GC, POW, EAME (1BS), WWII Victory.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-735179
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: T-60057
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-521615
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot, Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Snuffy
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: April's Fool
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Doris Mae
- Unit: Base Air Depot 1 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Yankee Powerhouse II : Mary Kathleen
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
19 May 1922 | ||
|
Enlisted |
1 September 1941 | Enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in September of 1941 in Dallas, Texas. Not sure on specific day. | |
|
Prisoner of war Prisoner of War (POW) |
25 July 1943 - 1 May 1945 | Prisoner of War (POW)Stalag Luft III, Zagan PolandStalag VIIa, Moosburg | |
|
Died |
17 February 2003 | DiedDallas, Texas | |
|
Buried |
20 February 2003 | InterredRestland Memorial ParkDallas, Texas | |
|
Training |
Hondo Army Air Field | In 1942, entered Aviation Cadet Corps for navigation training at Hondo Air Base near San Antonio, Texas. |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/record/58712156/r-o-henley-us-social-security-death-index
https://www.fold3.com/record/84570465/arthur-j-thompson-jr-us-wwii-army-enlistment-records-1938-1946
https://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=5852
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/125572993/r-o-henley
Removed the "NAME_ISSUE" flag in the Nickname field after verifying he went by "R. O.".
Added a S/N and a POW event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Flagged as a "NAME_ISSUE" in the Nickname field so an Admin can check out this person.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey, p.190 , http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=…
