Last Known Activity
Eugene H. Anderson was born on February 3, 1917 (NARA enlistment form states 1918) in Pawnee, Oklahoma. No parentage has been established by census data; however, his designated next-of-kin was Mildred E. Anderson of Fort Worth, Texas.
Anderson enlisted in Pawnee, Oklahoma on September 16, 1940 as a private in the Infantry. He enlisted from the Oklahoma National Guard. (This current enlistment was for a one year enlistment.) The enlistment documents state he had completed 1 year of high school and was employed as a general farm hand.
Sometime later, he transferred to the Army Air Forces, and received training as an aerial gunner. In fact, his first recorded assignment was as a gunner to a bomber unit located in Italy. There, he flew at least 5 missions.
On July 26, 1944, he was part of a crew designated to bomb a certain war facility in Weiner-Neudorf, Austria. As the formation crossed the Alps into Europe, weather conditions worsened, and a Recall was issued. The bombers from the 301st Bomb Group did not hear the Recall, so continued toward the target. The accompanying fighter escort returned to base.
At the target, the unprotected bombers were attacked by numerous fighters, with at least 11 of the 38-plane formation shot down. This aircraft was raked from nose to tail with machine gun and cannon fire, damaging the plane and killing several of the crew. It later crashed in Austria.
Two crew members made successful parachute jumps, but were captured upon landing. The dead were recovered from the wreckage, and buried in local cemeteries. After the war, they were retrieved by Allied forces and moved to other cemeteries. Sgt Anderson now lies in the Highland Cemetery in Pawnee, Oklahoma in Gate 4-5, Veterans Section.
www.findagrave.com
www.301bg.com/Missions_Macrs.cfm
NARA Enlistment Records
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Comments/Citation
SSgt Eugene H. Anderson was acting as one of the waist gunners on B-17G #44-6168, not named, assigned to the 32nd Bomb Squadron.
Missing Air Crew Report 7142 was issued, but only has the comment "Lost to enemy aircraft" as details. Mission loading lists show the crew as:
1 Lt Ralph C. Delonney p
2 Lt Paul M. Kerr c-p
2 Lt Bobbie L. Massey nav
2 Lt Jack S. Kuhn bomb
SSgt Gilbert J. Chesney eng/tt gun
TSgt Joseph K. Salasek r/o
SSgt George Demos btg
SSgt Eugene H. Anderson wg
SSgt Melvin K. Stark wg
SSgt Rosoce G. Fulton tail gun
Ranks and grades as of mission date.
Demos and Stark were the only survivors.
Pilot's name in loading list spelled "Delonney," while navigator's name is spelled "Bobbie." All other sources use "Delonnay" and "Bobby", respectively.
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