Dock Graham Thomas, Jr.
1944
English
Greenville, South Carolina or Catawba County, North Carolina
Army Air Force, Staff Sergeant
432nd Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomber Group, Heavy
Purple Heart
1923
Jul 26, 1943
Killed in Action - B17 shot down while on a bombing mission over Hannover, Germany
Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Netherlands, Plot I, Row 12, Grave 17.
SW
Additional Information
MARC #: 127; Aircraft Model: B17-F; S/N#: 42-30156 Organization: Location: AAF Sta 111 APO 534; Command or AAF/ AF: 8th Group: 306th Bomb Group (H) Squadron: 433rd Bomb Place of departure: Thurleigh, England; Target: Hanover, Germany Type of Mission: Bombing; Date: 26 July 1943 Time: 1256 Location of Crash: Fr???????, Holland Number of Person Aboard Aircraft- Crew: 10 Passengers: 0 Total: 10List of Crew (crew positions, name, rank) 2nd Lt. Courson, Easley R. (Pilot) 2nd Lt. Bronson Jr., Ray R. (Co-Pilot) 2nd Graslak, Ted (Navigator) 2nd Lt. Lynch, Harry J. (Bombardier) S/Sgt Champion, John G. (Aerial Engineer) S/Sgt Dayton, William G. (Radio Operator) Sgt. Thomas Jr., Dock G. (Ball Turret Gunner) Sgt. Stevens, Robert C. (Waist Gunner) Sgt. White, Cedric A. (Waist Gunner) S/Sgt. Lamb, Billy L. (Tail Gunner)
Narrative or eye witness statements
The aircraft was hit by flak causing the tail to be blown off but bombs were still dropped on the target in Hanover. LW fighters attacked and the aircraft caught fire. One report indicated that Thomas may have been hit by fighter fire while at his station. He was wounded and may have been able to bail out but was never seen again. Four other crewmembers (Lynch, Graslak, Courson, and Bronson) were POWs.
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WWII Army Enlistment Record