Crash B26 on 11.April 1945 near Cologne

[RSwank]

Manni,

There are individual records and even medical records we can request. We will need their serial numbers to to that. We don't have serial numbers for Hopkins or Lidicker. We have their enlistment numbers, but not the serial numbers they would have received when they were commissioned.

Also, many records were destroyed in a fire in Saint Louis in 1973 and are no-longer available. (Medical records were not lost.)

https://www.archives.gov/personnel-r...nter/fire-1973

I will request one more CD from AFHRA which might have the DFC citation for Hopkins and serial numbers for Hopkins and Lidicker. It may also have info on positions in the plane and who was on (or not on) the boat.

Here is a better picture of Hopkins' grave than is shown in findagrave.
Click on the upper green star and then click the photo.

https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicw...zEgRKb2huGgFU/

Note the grave says Hopkins had received:
The DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross), PH (Purple Heart)
AM (Air Medal) with 5 OLC (Oak Leaf Clusters)
and was a Prisoner of War.

(The Air Medal was typically given after the first 5 missions and an OLC for each additional 5 missions. Hopkins apparently had flown between 30 and 34 missions.)

I checked the POW records and it appears that Samar is listed. There is a John T Hopkins, Jr listed but he is listed as in the infantry, so maybe a different Hopkins. (These records sometimes have errors.) I don't think any others are listed in the POW records. We need to get the officer's serial number for Hopkins.