Earl Minnis
MilitaryI own the original photograph shown. I had it restored and I am submitting a copy of it here. I am Earl’s Great Nephew.
Prisoner of War (POW) crashed near Kleve on 16 Feb 45 in B-17 #43-39081. After bypassing the primary target Langendreer(synthetic oil refinery) because of smog, crew was ordered to proceed to bomb secondary target the Munster railhead. This plane was in the lead and was shot down with 3 crew members killed and six Prisoner of War (POW)s.
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: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17169885
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 6575542
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-927606
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37425170
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Toggaleer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-293873
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 16 February 1945
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Bakewell, Tennessee | 24 April 1923 | |
Enlisted |
Miami Beach, FL, USA | 23 February 1943 | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Germany | 16 February 1945 | |
Died |
Hamilton County, TN, USA | 28 March 1982 | |
Buried |
Chattanooga, TN, USA | 1 April 1982 | Chattanooga National Cemetery Chattanooga Hamilton County Tennessee, USA Plot: TT,,497 |
Hamilton County, TN, USA |
Revisions
Brought in information from duplicate record. Source:
http://www.303rdbg.com/427wertz.html
http://www.303rdbg.com/MACR/12439.pdf
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Minnis&GSfn=Earl&…;
MACR 12439 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12439,Edward Giering letter Jan. 2009