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name
LYONS, Thaddeus Joseph Jr - Date of
birth
1918 -
Age
unknown -
Place of birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O1010379 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
96th Bombardment Squadron,
2nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 February 1944 - Place of
death
Near Bad Hall, Austria
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Epinal - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Thaddeus J. Lyons (father)
Sarah A. (Mullin) Lyons (mother)
Marjorie E. Lyons (sister)
Eileen A. Lyons (sister)
Kathleen R. Lyons (sister)
Mary T. Lyons (sister)
John F. Lyons (brother)
Mary H. Lyons (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31459 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Lyon’s Den
Destination: Steyr, Austria
Mission: Aircraft Factory
MACR: 2622
More information
1st Lt Thaddeus J. Lyons Jr. attended Boston College with the class of 1942 and was a driver before he enlisted in Boston, Massachusetts on 15 January 1941.2nd Lt Thomas R. Kelly:
I observed B-17 No. 42-31459 leave the formation, gaining speed and forging ahead, in course but in a gradual decent. While on this course, I observed five parachutes open, the last three coming from the nose hatch. During this time, blue smoke was coming out of number two engine. B-17 No. 459 was on this course for about eight minutes before it crashed into the mountain. At the time it crashed into the mountain, it was flying level and straight. I believe it was on AFCE. About two minutes before the crash, number two engine fell off. It was at 1318 Hours. When he crashed into the mountain. On its gradual level descent, P-38’s were following B-17 No. 459 down and circled a couple of time after the aircraft crashed. All the crew members wo were able to bail out had plenty of time to do so.
2nd Lt Robert C. Gamache:
I believe a shell exploded inside the cockpit and injured or killed the pilot and Co-Pilot.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com – Lyons Family Tree, www.fold3.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com – Have Paws will travel, Boston College Veterans Memorial