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Air Medal KIA 8th AF Edward R. Jones - Missouri


mike kelso
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Thanks to Shawn, fellow forum member, I added this Air Medal to the collection. Assistance in locating Edward's Purple Heart much appreciated.
Edward R. Jones: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94312337/edward-r-jones Jefferson City, MO. B-17F downed by FW-190 and FLAK over Munster, Germany. Left, kneeling in the photo.
42-30734 (100th BG, 351st BS, "Slightly Dangerous") shot down by Hptm. Walter Hoeckner in Fw 190A-6 and flak at Munster, Germany Oct 10, 1943. MACR 1023. 3 KIA, 7 POW.
42-30734 was a B-17F
351ST SQDN.. CREW JOINED THE 100TH IN AUGUST 1943, A VERY EARLY REPLACEMENT CREW. THEY WERE FLYING THEIR FIFTH MISSION ON 10 OCT 43. A/C #42-30374 "SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS" MACR # 1023, Micro-fiche #339 This crew was on its fifth mission. Apparently after reaching the I. P. this A/C received a head-on attack by enemy a/c and Edward Jones was severely wounded by a 20mm. Almost simultaneously there was a direct flak hit in the waist and both waist gunners killed or severely wounded. Bail out order given but evidently not all got our before ship exploded. Lt. Sprow shoved Lt. Jones out of nose escape hatch after pulling his rip cord. Several men blown out when plane exploded and their chutes opened. One crewman later reported as follows: "The Germans threw his body (Jones') into a truck transporting us to a jail. He was all shot up and he was white. I presume he had bled to death."


The 100th BG Foundation received the following note from Jack Stern on 1 Aug 2006:
On the crew of Charles H. Thompson you have Donald Leech listed as tail gunner. Actually he was the left waist gunner and Floyd M. Cahall was the tail gunner. You have me listed as Sgt. actually all enlisted men were S/Sgt, so as for more details when our plane reached the I.P. our number 4 engine burst into flames.

We dropped out of formation and dropped our bombs. Our number one engine burst into flames whereupon our pilot Lt Charles H. Thompson sounded the abort signal. Seeing the ball turret gunner still rotating and he would not hear the signal, I grabbed a handfull of casings and my chest chute. I threw the casings on the turret and when he looked up at me, I put on my chest chute and pointed at it and indicated bail out.

I returned to my gun to give him cover and saw him bail out of the waist door. I had not seen the tail gunner and started to throw casings at his position when I saw both waist gunners lying on the floor, and non responsive. A FW-109 seeing us all alone and on fire closed in for a easy kill. I fired first and saw him go down. There was a loud noise and I blacked out. When I came to, I found myself swaying in the air. Our plane had exploded and the force of the explosion had opened my chute. I was immediately surrounded by German soldiers when I landed.

I was reunited with Richard E. Derby and Jesse W. Cook and sent to Stalag 17. We spent 20 months there and were on a 300 mile death march at the end of the war. I would appreciate it if you would send me a corrected listing.

S/Sgt. Jack Stern
Mike

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