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name
HOMAN, John Raymond - Date of
birth
14 February 1918 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Wing, Burleigh County, North Dakota -
Hometown
Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-746348 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
427th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
19 August 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, off Hoek van Holland, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Frank P. Homan (father)
Sophia (Schroeder) Homan (mother)
Vernon M. Homan (brother)
Helen Homan (sister)
Lois L. (Yoder) Homan (wife)
Jon R. Homan (daughter)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-5392 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Stric Nine
Destination: Gilze Rijen, The Netherlands
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
More information
2nd Lt John R. Homan attended Western State College.He enlisted on 7 April 1942.
The mission was to bomb the airfield of Gilze-Rijen with 38 B-17's from different bomber groups. Due to mist and the reflection of the sun, a first attempt to localise the target failed. The majority of the airplanes returned to their home base but the 303rd Bomber Group turned and tried a second time, but now this group was behind the main formation without the much needed fighter protection. At that moment the group was attacked by a large group of FW-190's who shoot down several bombers.
This B-17 was hit by flak and caught fire. Four crew members could bail out and were taken prisoner, six were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / Family Tree, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com/db/index.php
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Western State University, Jerry Homan