Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
LOHMEYER, Marvin Edward - Date of
birth
14 March 1917 -
Age
27 - Place of
birth
Halstead, Harvey County, Kansas -
Hometown
Burrton, Harvey County, Kansas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-753292 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
549th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Distinguished Service Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
21 June 1944 - Place of
death
Dörröd, Sweden
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 34 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William H. Lohmeyer (father)
Luelle C. (Stein) Lohmeyer (mother)
Carl W. Lohmeyer (brother)
Clarence E. Lohmeyer (brother)
Wilma M. (Tonn) Lohmeyer (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-38135 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Dear Mom
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 5920
More information
Marvin Lohmeyer attended college and was a salesman.He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army at Fort Riley, Kansas, on 8 October 1941 and was sent overseas on 31 May 1944.
He was married to Wilma Tonn on 6 December 1943.
The airplane was damaged by flak and machine-gun fire of enemy fighters and was last seen fifteen miles inside the German coast on the route back near Rendsburg, Germany. It was under control but unable to keep up with the formation, continually dropping behind until it went out of sight.
It crash-landed near Dörröd in Sweden. According to witness statements of surviving crew members, the men who were not killed during the fighter attacks, had bailed out earlier. They owed their lives to Lt Lohmeyer. After all, he stayed in the plane longer so that the others could bail out. When he left the plane, it was already flying too low and his parachute could not open completely. For this action, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.
Seven crew members survived and were interred for the rest of the war, and three men were killed. They were initially buried in Malmö, Sweden. The rest of the crew was not allowed to attend the funeral nor even visit the graves later, and were grieved over this.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.findagrave.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-H, Marfa, Texas