Horace Otis Turner
Military
April 1944 - September 1944
BACK ROW
Weatherall (eng), Rogers (waist gunner), Donald L. Clum (radio operator)
Delbert G. Hubbard (ball turret gunner), Frank A. Martin (tail gunner), Charles T. Hyde (waist gunner)
FRONT ROW
Roy Gieland (pilot), Johnson (co-pilot), Anderson (navigator), H.O. Turner (bombardier)
Photo supplied by Frank A. Martin Horace O. Turner by Karen Turner
Added by Karen Turner, daughter of crew member, Horace Turner.
Object Number - UPL 20681 - Roy Gieland Crew - 412th Sqn April 1944 - September 1944 BACK ROW Weatherall (eng), Rogers (waist gunner), Donald L. Clum (radio operator)...
WIA by flak hitting him in left hip/leg on 24 Dec 1944 in B-17G #42-97257 'Knock-out Baby'.
My father, Horace O. "Hank" Turner, was not only a WWll hero, but my own personal hero! He was a bombardier/navigator for the 8th Air Force, 95th Bomb Group, 412th Bomb Squadron, flying in a B-17 Flying Fortess in an plane called "Knock-Out Baby!" , number 42-97257. Their group was stationed in Horham, England and he left a log, detailing 35 missions he flew! He was hit by flak on many of these missions, including his 5th mission, on April 24, 1944, and yet he was back out on another mission the next day! He was awarded 3 medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart, which I proudly framed! Unfortunately, he died way too young, after becoming a self made business owner, at the age of 60, due to eventual complications from this injury. I have a number of his memorabilia and wish I could hear his stories once again! :-) Thank you, Daddy, for your service to this country and to me as my wonderful father! I love you!!
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Knock-Out Baby!
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
Missions
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Plainview, TX 79072, USA | 27 June 1918 | He was the 2nd son of 4 boys born to Burchie Tarter Turner and Henry Cleveland Turner. |
|
Other Missions flown |
Horham, England | 18 April 1944 - 15 August 1944 | He flew 35 missions, with flak hitting his plane more often than not, earning 3 Medals, the Air Medal with 3 Oak Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, as he was WIA on 04/24/1944 by flak. |
|
Other WIA |
England, UK | 24 April 1944 | WIA by flak hitting him in left hip/leg on 24 Dec 1944 in B-17G #42-97257 'Knock-out Baby'. |
|
Died |
Austin, TX, USA | 11 May 1979 | He died at the age of 60, too early! He had always been healthy and was an excellent athlete, but the flak injury contributed to a tumor at that site that led to his premature death. |
Revisions
I am not sure what to enter here, but since I am the source of this information entered, I will enter this. I am the daughter of Horace Otis Turner, my name is Karen Turner and my email address is [email protected]
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://95thbg.org/95th_db_pages/left_formation_code/gethonoroll.php
