Archibald B Monroe Jr

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-41641.jpeg UPL 41641 Nose art by Albert Knowles 458 BG.
A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.'
The crew are: (back row, left to right)
Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner,
Chuck Frazer - Gunner,
Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner,
"Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot,
(front row, left to right)
Dick Eselgroth - Navigator,
Al Miller - Bombardier,
Billy Duke - Pilot
"Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator,
Baldamore Garcia - Engineer,
"Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner .
Image via RM Eselgroth.
Written on slide casing: 'Crew 22, 458th Bomb Gp. 754th Squadron, Horsham Jan 1945.' Thomas Knowles

Added official caption.

Object Number - UPL 41641 - Nose art by Albert Knowles 458 BG. A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the...

On 22 February 1945, Monroe's B-24 (serial number 44-10491) nicknamed "The Iron Duke" was hit by flak during a mission to Peine. Monroe successfully bailed out of the aircraft but was captured by two policemen after landing near Bieber.



As he was being taken to Offenbach police headquarters, Monroe and his captors took shelter in a fire station after an an air raid warning sounded. Also taking shelter were the assistant police director, Josef Kiwitt, fire chief, Paul Nahrgang, and two of his assistants, Bernard Fay and Phillip Hammann. During a quiet conversation with his men Kiwitt ordered Monroe shot.



Despite being surrounded, his captors later testified that Monroe struck Fay and 'began to escape' wearing his heavy flying suit and fur-lined boots. After Fay sounded the alarm, Hammann who was carrying a rifle, fired three shots at Monroe, killing him instantly.



The next day Monroe's body was then taken to Offenbach police headquarters and buried at the Cemetery at Muhlheim. Upon its rediscovery in March 1946 it was clear that Monroe had not been killed in the crash as previously believed. His captors were tried at the Dachau War Crimes Trials in 1947.



Connections

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Units served with

Personnel of the 458th Bomb Group gather around a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-29303) nicknamed "Liberty Lib" in order to transfer a casualty into a waiting ambulance. Image via Harry Holmes. Written on slide casing: '458th BG.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.' The crew are: (back row, left to right) Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner, Chuck Frazer - Gunner, Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner, "Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot, (front row, left to right) Dick Eselgroth - Navigator, Al Miller - Bombardier, Billy Duke - Pilot "Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator, Baldamore Garcia - Engineer, "Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner . Image via RM Eselgroth. Written on slide casing: '
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Top O The Mark
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron 754th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Crashed

Bieber, 63073 Offenbach am Main, Germany 22 February 1945

Other

Killed in action

Offenbach, Germany 22 February 1945
Batesville, MS 38606, USA

Born

Batesville, Michigan

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

MACR 12675

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Page 279 of the book LIBERATORS OVER NORWICH by Mackay, Bailry & Scorza, 2010, D790G4582010 & 458bg.com (detailed info including story of final mission)

Archibald B Monroe: Gallery (3 items)