A Hero I never met. My Dad's brother, John A Thomas. The crew he was with joined the 15th AF at Lucera, Italy. Reading his diary reveals lonesome airmen, eager to get their missions completed but constantly being delayed by either weather or mechanical issues while having their nerves tested on every mission flown. Very few a/c were equipped with the new radar that he had been trained on. For the mission over Vienna 13Feb45, he had to fly with a different crew on a/c 44-6653 that had it installed. While on the bombing run, they lost an engine and were ordered to bail out. MACR 12110 confirms that he was next to jump but saw the belly turret gunner stuck so he went back to assist. When he did that, the aircraft took a direct hit from flak. He is buried at Ardennes American Cemetery; https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/thomas%3Djohn-18 And listed in the 301stBG website; https://www.301bg.com/Thomas_John_T8125_301BG.cfm

Danny Thomas, Uncle