Jake Stone Colvin, Jr.
1942
Industrial Education
Honors 1; Blue Key 4; Scabbard and Blade 4; Boxing 1,2,3 Alternate Captain 4; Block “C” Club 3,4; First Sergeant’s Club; Central Dance Association 3, President 4; Pershing Rifles; Marksman, ROTC Camp, Clemson, SC
Chester, South Carolina
Parents - Mr. and Mrs. Jake S. Colvin, Sr. He was also survived by 2 sisters, Miss Bernice Colvin and Miss Jessie Colvin, and 1 brother, Penn Colvin of Chester.
Army Air Force, First Lieutenant
730th Bomb Squadron, 452nd Bomb Group
Purple Heart
Apr 2, 1921
Feb 29, 1944
FOD (Finding of Death) Lieutenant Colvin was killed when the Flying Fortress he was piloting was hit by shrapnel over Brunswick, Germany. He apparently died instantly. (See Military Aircraft Accident Report)
Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot C, Row 1, Grave 14; Memorial Marker at Evergreen Cemetery, Chester, SC
NE
Additional Information
He trained at Maxwell Field, AL; Douglas, GA; Greenwood, SC; Lawrenceville, IL; and Columbus, OH.
MACR/ Accident Report #:2893; Aircraft Model: B-17F S/N#: 42-30800; AC Nickname: “Cock O’ The Walk”; Organization: Location-Station 142; Command or AAF/AF-8th AF; Group-452nd Bomb Gp.(H); Squadron- 790 Bomb (H); Place of Departure- Station 136; Intended Destination- Brunswick; Type of Mission- Bombing; Date- 29 Feb. 1944; Time- Unknown; Location of Crash- Just off Dutch Coast; Reason Aircraft was Lost- Enemy Anit-Aircraft; Number of Persons Aboard Aircraft- Crew: 10 Passengers: 0 Total: 10
List of Crew:
P Colvin, Jake S. 2nd Lt. 0-460094 KIA
CP West, Richard R. 2nd Lt. 0-755813 KIA
N Johnson, Allen E. 2nd Lt. 0-692318 EUS
B Glass, M. R. Jr. 2nd Lt. 0-682572 EUS
TT Rottler, Raymond W. Sgt. 33239371 RMD
R Ross, Allen L. Sgt. 18217120 EUS
RT Soari, Andrew A. Sgt. 33518425 KIA
RWG Mack, William H. S/Sgt. 39106581 EUS
LWG Clayton, John W. Sgt. 14049867 KIA
TG Justice, Grady C. Sgt. 18214461 EUS
Narrative:
A/C 800 was flying in the A group. It is believed that this a/c was hit by flak over the target immediately after bombs away. The stricken ship immediately dove earthward, disappearing into the clouds. No chutes were seen. After the formation had landed at the base our control tower received a phone call from flying control, 3rd Bomb Division, saying that A/C 800 had ditched just off the Dutch Coast. A German air-sea rescue boat was seen circling the ditched a/c.
A CERTIFIED TRUE COPY:
C.M. CRONIN
1ST LT. AC
Gp Stat 0
CASUALTY QUESTIONAIRE
1. Your name : Rose, Allen L. Rank: T/Sgt. Serial No.: 18217120
2. Organization: 452 Gp. Commander: Don’t remember Rank: Lt. Col. Sgn CO: X Hayes Rank: CPT.
3. What year: 1944 Month: Feb Day: 28 did you go down?
4. What was the mission: Brunswick, target, Brunswick, target time, 11:30, altitude, 2500 route scheduled, Do not remember, route flown X.
5. Where were you when you left formation? Over Brunswick
6. Did you bail out? Yes
7. Did other members of crew bail out? Yes, Johnson, Justice, Glass, Mack, + Rottler
8. Tell all you know about when, where, how each person in your aircraft from whom no individual questionnaire is attached bail out. A crew list is attached. Please give facts. If you do not know, say: “no knowledge”. Lt. Edward Glass +Ray Rottler bailed out entering Brunswick, Lt. Allen Johnson + S/Sgt. Grady Justice jumped over town and Sgt. William Mack on other side of Brunswick.
9. Where did your aircraft strike the ground? Mack said it hit on the outskirts of town.
10. What member of your crew were in the aircraft when it struck the ground? (should cross check with 8 above and individual questionnaires) I think 2nd Colvin Jake S. , 2nd Lt. West Richard P., Sgt. Clayton John W., Sgt. Saari Andrew A.
11. Where were they in aircraft? West + Colvin were in cockpit
12. What was their condition? Think Colvin dead + West dying
13. When, where, and in what condition did you last see any members not already described above? I last saw Sgt’s John Clayton + Andrew A. Saari just before take out in England.
14. Please give any similar information on personnel or any other crew of which you have knowledge. Indicate source of information. No Knowledge
Telegram:
To: H.Q. Air base District XI Hamburg Blankenese, Germany
Subj: Downing of a Boeing B 17 F By A.A. (markings on fuselage not to be determined, because of the destruction by burning after crash, on the empennage above a black blue vertical line below with yellow paint the number 230800, below with yellow paint a large “0”) In the range of the luther-factory.
Disposition of the crew. 1.) Lt. Alano Johnson ASN: 0692318 Transferred to Obarursel on the 1. March 1944, 2.) Sgt. Justice, C, Grady ASN: 18214464 3.) Sgt. William Mack ASN: 39106581 Delivered to A.F. hospital Braunschweig on the 29, Febr. 1944 Leg fractures 4.) Richard R. West ASN: 0-755813 T43 43 A Dead. 5.) Johnny W. Clayton ASN: 14049867 T43 B dead. 6.) Andrew Saari ASN: 33518423 T43 dead 7.) An unknown dead burnt (JAKE COLVIN).
BEFORE REPORTS BY DISTANCE CALLING TO AIRBASE COMMAND B 12/XI ON THE 29 FEBR. 1944. PARACHUTE FOUND NO. 181943 SALVAGE EQUIPMENT WILL BE SENT OVER BY THE GUIDING COMMAND.
AIR BASE COMMAND
BRAUNSCHWEIG WAGGUM