Allan Wesley Lowry

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-50825.jpeg UPL 50825 Allan Wesley Lowry, Co-Pilot, 41-24464 "Excalibur" 324th BS, 91st BG. KIA on 4 March 1943

Removed associations not depicted in the image. Associations to be made in PERSON record.

Object Number - UPL 50825 - Allan Wesley Lowry, Co-Pilot, 41-24464 "Excalibur" 324th BS, 91st BG. KIA on 4 March 1943

On 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24506 'The Shiftless Skonk' while serving as Co-Pilot. Aircraft crashed near Watford on returning from a mission. Plane had been attacked by fighters.



On 4-Mar-43 B-17 41-24464 'Excalibur' while serving as Co-Pilot the aircraft was attacked repeatedly by German fighters and was ditched into North Sea. The aircraft broke in half and three of the crew, including 1Lt Lowry were lost but 7 returned to duty. No MACR was issued for this event. Killed in Action (KIA).



Awards: DSC, AM, PH.



DSC Citation: "The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Allan W. Lowry (ASN: O-661513), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Co-Pilot of a B-17 Heavy Bomber in the 324th Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group (H), EIGHTH Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission over enemy occupied continental Europe on 4 March 1943. The airplane in which Lieutenant Lowry was serving was attacked by a force of enemy fighter aircraft and was forced down on the North Sea after a long and gallant flight. In utter disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Lowry remained at his post and aided other crew members to leave the airplane; in so doing, he sacrificed his own chance for escape. By his devotion to duty and complete disregard for his personal welfare Lieutenant Lowry helped to save the lives of other crew members, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the armed forces of the United States."

Connections

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Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Excalibur
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Shiftless Skonk
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Covelo, CA 2 January 1920 Son of Trueman James and Maude E Lowry.

Other

Crashed

Leavesden Aerodrome, Watford, Hertfordshire WD25 7BZ, UK 23 November 1942 Crashed in severely damaged B-17F 41-24506 upon return from a mission to St. Nazaire when 91BG aborted the mission due to cloud cover over the target. Returned to duty (RTD)

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Texel, Netherlands 4 March 1943 Killed when aircraft was attacked by German fighters and ditched into the North Sea 40 miles west of Texel Island, Holland. His remains were never recovered.

Other

Commemorated

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Madingley Road, Coton, Cambridgeshire CB23 7PH, UK Lost at sea with the aircraft. Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery.

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Dec-2014. Added KIA event per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Dec-2014. All changes based on "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & JohnA. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 4-Nov-2014. "Losses of the 8th & 9th AIr Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC)

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. One by Bishop and Hey, p. 49

Allan Wesley Lowry: Gallery (1 items)