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Personal info

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

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