98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Details about those listed as missing or killed in the Pacific, including current search operations.

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minpinsmom
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98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by minpinsmom »

I am trying to find information on my grandfather in my research this is all I have been able to find out thus far. I would be greatful for any information who is a MIA.


Job P. M. Austin
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
98th Bomber Squadron, 11th Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered the Service from: New York

Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters,
Purple Heart


Thank you
Mollie

PADutchman
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Re: 98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by PADutchman »

My father was in the 11 TH BGH, the 42 Squadron from 1940 to 1945. There is a 11 TH BGH Organization and their Director is Phil Gudenschwager. Phil lost his own brother on February 1, 1943.

He should be able to help you or give you more information. You as a son may join the Organization and gets its news letter etc. I was. with Phil's help, able to call and speak on the phone to three members my father helped train to go back into the Pacific in 1943 when they returned to the Pacific with new B-24. The 11 TH BGH is the only Air Corp/Force unit that fought in the Pacific War from the Attack on 12/7/1941 until the very end and the surrender of Japan. Here is Phil's address.

Phil Gudenschwager (philgu@cox.net)

PADutchman
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Re: 98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by PADutchman »

Mollie, I apologize, you as the Sgt.s daughter may also joint the 11 BGH Organization. I am sorry I have been communication mainly with sons, but there are a number of daughters just like yourself who are seeking to discover their fathers service history. If you send me your email address I can send you a link to the Diary of Dr. Aaron Sprong who was a Flight Surgeon for the 11 TH, it is the only thing he left his daughter of his time in the Unit and Pacific. It has a lot of information of the conditions they fought under.

The Air Corp/Force Units in the Pacific War were constantly short of pilots, trained crews, fuel, ammunition, medical supplies, good water, planes, hot food, dry bedding, almost everything. The Eighth in Europe was supplied first until the war in Europe was won. Only after that did the Air Corp and other Units in the Pacific begin to receive what they really needed to finish the war in the Pacific.

95.5% of the books, museums, information, records, etc are for the 8 TH Air Corp. The 11 TH BGH received little of anything they needed for years. The only things they had in abundance were rats, rot, diseases and Japanese. The Flight Surgeon's diary speaks of the very difficult conditions of the Air Corp/Forces in the Pacific.

I have made contact with other families of men who were at Hickam and the Attack with my father, but their loved ones were shot down over the Pacific. There is no grave locations or recovered crews most were lost after being shot down and often the Japanese shot any survivors.

PADutchman
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Re: 98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by PADutchman »

Mollie I have a book called "Grey Geese Calling" it is the 11 TH BGH Unit book, your father is listed with the men lost in the 98 Squadron in the Pacific Campaign in the first years. It would appear he was flying in a B-17 Unit which means he was there from the start. The 98 TH. lost the most men in the 11 TH Bomb Group and all its Squadrons, 92 men were lost in the 98 Squadron. I will try to find more for you.

minpinsmom
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Re: 98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by minpinsmom »

Thank you for the information you have provider. This is more than I have been able to uncover on my own. I really appreciate it.

debszoo
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Re: 98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by debszoo »

My husband and I returned last week after visiting Oahu. Part of our trip was a visit to the Pearl Harbor Memorial, as well as the Punchbowl National Memorial. My great uncle Alexander W. Hunt 2nd Lt., was shot down on May 8, 1945 during this mission. His tablet is displayed at the memorial. He was my grandfather's youngest brother. My grandfather also served in the Navy during WWI as a C.E.M. and had completed his service but re-enlisted the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. My great-grandmother had all three of her sons serving during WWII, having lost her youngest, I cannot even imagine what she must have gone through. My grandfather spoke very little of WWII, and he and I were very close and he did share some of his stories and even spoke at my history class when I was a Jr. in high school (1986). My grandmother also shared with me their love story during the war, as well as the trials and tribulations of this war. My grandfather did not speak much of the loss of his younger brother.
My grandparents have since passed. During our trip, visiting this memorial and seeing my great-uncle's name was surreal and very emotional. The sacrifice this Squadron and the many others had made for our country really hit home.
My mother shared with me upon our return from our trip several things that were my great-grandmother's. The hardest thing to read was the official notification from the War Department of the loss of my great-uncle. He was killed in action while carrying out this mission in which he volunteered for. This notification gives details of this mission as well as the desperate attempt to search for any survivors. This notification listed only two survivors, Lt.Vigue,navigator and Cpl De Roo, asst engineer.
My uncle was recommended for the Distinguished Flying Cross. My grandmother received his Purple Heart, which will be kept along with his picture, and kept in our family. I have been able to have the honor of being able to share with my teenage daughters some of these stories. My oldest who is now a Jr. in high school recently studied this era in her history class and was able to share the story of my great-uncle.
Although I was never able to meet my great-uncle he will remain in my heart and I feel honored to be the great-niece of Lt. Alexander W. Hunt.

My husband and I found this web-site and I hope what I have shared will be of some help to any other families who lost family members of the 98th Bomber Squadron 11 during this mission on May 8, 1945.

Blessings,
Debbie Kampa
debszoo213@yahoo.com

Daniel Leahy
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Re: 98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by Daniel Leahy »

I have created profiles on the PRIAM database for both of these men:-

S/Sgt AUSTIN, Job P M

2/Lt HUNT, Alexander W
Daniel J. Leahy
Australia

AIR POWER ARCHAEOLOGY
http://www.airpowerarchaeologyc.com

ttoner
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Re: 98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by ttoner »

Hello Minspinsmom,

My Great Uncle was Tech Sergeant Francis Knox who flew with your Grandfather Job Austin on the "Warbird" 42-100406.
First I want to say I am sorry for your loss.
What I know personally about them being lost I heard from my father who was 7 years old at the time. He remembers the Western Union guy coming to the row house in Camden, NJ to deliver the telegram to his Grandmother Helen Knox my Great Grandmother. It was in February of 1946 that the Army declared him dead because no remains could be found. My father recalls his grandmother getting a letter from a fellow crew member's mother who lived in Seattle that said the crew had survived the crash and was either fighting or being hid by natives/partisans in the jungle in the area of Truk. I believe you have the MACR on them and it give very little info unfortunately. I have only the pictures I have seen here and one that appears on a great website about the history of Camden NJ
http://www.dvrbs.com/ccwd-ww2/WW2-FrancisJKnox.htm
Franny was my Grandmother Mabel's 2nd younger brother and he will always be a hero to our family. I cannot imagine what they went through but pray the went down fighting or did not suffer too much. You are probably familiar with it but the book "Unbroken" by Laura Hildenbrandt about Louis Zamperini's experience is a fantastic book about this topic not to mention he was 98th squadron 11 bomb group. Our relatives may have even know him!
Hopefully one day we'll know better the fate of the heros who flew and fought on the "Warbird"

ttoner
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Re: 98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by ttoner »

Hi Mollie,

Here is where a picture of the crew of the Warbird is located

http://forum.armyairforces.com/Job-PM-A ... 22541.aspx

My uncle Franny is top row 2nd from the right.

Do you know which one is Job?

Todd

Adamaaron
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Re: 98th Bomber Squadron 11th Bomber, Heavy

Post by Adamaaron »

My Father was Cpl Allan B Aaron he served in the 98th squadron as a Nordon Bombsite mechanic, and occasionally an as needed bombardier. I'm trying to find out more about his service. He passed in 2012, after the war he obtained his JD and went on to serve for over thirty years with the Army Corps of Engineers, he ended up retiring as the Division Counsel U.S. Army Corps of Engineers European Division. He seldom spoke of his experiences and I'm doing some reasearch into his service. Any information would be greatly appreciated. There was a post indicating a link to the squadron flight surgeon's diary. I'm hoping I can get access to that link.

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