James Alan Schroeder
Military
From my father's collection.
Object Number - UPL 33966 - Swissvale, PA POWs at Stalag VII
Assigned to 68BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down by fighters after falling out of formation and crashed near Eisenbach, GR on a mission to an a/c factory at Gotha, GR on 24-Feb-44 in B-24 41-24225 'Flak Alley'. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2922
"Remained POW until liberation 1945. Dad was NOT repatriated as stated in the Flak Alley (Capt. Bell) bio. George Hall, bombardier was repatriated with both eyes damaged. Hall's life was saved by my father (he donned chute, assisted out)."
Awards: AM, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
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: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16087379 / O-686193
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Flak Alley
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 24 February 1944
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA | 29 July 1920 | Son of Thomas Barkley and Martha [McGowan] Schroeder. |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Moosburg, Germany | 24 February 1944 | Shot down by fighters after falling out of formation and crashed near Eisenbach, GR on a mission to an a/c factory at Gotha, GR on 24-Feb-44 in B-24 41-24225 'Flak Alley'. Prisoner of War (POW). |
|
Died |
16 May 1990 | ||
|
Buried |
Homewood Cemetery Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA | 19 May 1990 | Homewood Cemetery Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania |
|
Based |
Shipdham | 24 February 1944 | Assigned to 68BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Name appears in Parker Finney's POW Diary 1944 - 1945 Stalag III Sagan Germany and Stamlager VIIA Moosberg Germany
Picture of Swissvale "delegates" from my father's, Parker Finney, records. The story that I heard is that my dad (shot down Aug 1944 was walking through Stalag VII and he heard "Hey Swissvale!". I have no idea how this picture was taken or ended up in my dad's collection.
Directly from my father and Charles Freeburgh, Flight Engineer on Flak Alley 2-24-44.
Dad advanced to 1st Lieutenant after liberation (my mother's report).
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2922 / MACR 2922, Losse of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
