Loren Fredrick Darling

Military
media-30752.jpeg UPL 30752 Loren F. Darling, Waist Gunner, 100th Bomb Group. Charles D Taylor collection

"Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 22 "Biographies", by Charles D Taylor.

Object Number - UPL 30752 - Loren F. Darling, Waist Gunner, 100th Bomb Group.

He joined the 418 squadron in October 1943 and was on the Munster (Royal Flush)raid on the 10th when his was the only B-17 - of 13 - to return to base. Loren was wounded in the head and suffered a broken jaw. On another mission his legs were frozen, amputation just avoided and he was grounded from then on. He returned to the USA aboard 'Queen Elizabeth' , married the girl he had met during training in Tennesee and ran a trucking company.



Mentioned in "Eighth Air Force", By Donald L. Miller.

Also mentioned in "Flying Fortress" on page 199 by Edward Jablonski.

Awards: SS, PH (OLC), EAME, WWII Victory.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Rosie's riveters
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
 Royal Flush (42-6087) of the 8th Air Force, 100th bomber group, 418th Bomber squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Royal Flush aka Harper's Ferry aka Aske's Angels
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 418th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Newell, Iowa 2 November 1921 Born Newell, Iowa

Enlisted

Fort Des Moines, Iowa 6 July 1942 Enlisted Fort Des Moines, Iowa

Died

Waterloo, Iowa 11 January 2011 Died Waterloo, Iowa

Buried

Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery Waterloo, Iowa 14 January 2011 Interred Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added the Awards listed in the "Personnel records" of the 100th BG.

SOURCE:  https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=personnel&id=1171…

Date
ContributorHelen
Changes
Sources

Iowans of the Mighty 8th

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Corrected my typo in the "Summary biography" ("Fortress" was misspelled).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added connections to A/C #42-31504 and to the 100th BG per info on the 100th BG website about Pilot Robert Rosenthal and his crew members.
Source: https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=personnel&id=4475…

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a comment in the "Summary biography" about Edward Jablonski's book.

Date
Changes
Sources

"Eighth Air Force", By Donald L. Miller.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

100th Bomb Group Foundation Directory, 2000 - 2001 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Loren Fredrick Darling: Gallery (3 items)