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416th Bombardment Group (L) S/Sgt. Harold Eugene Boyer Airplane Mechanic - Gunner, 20506057 Evaded Capture 669th Bombardment Squadron (L) |
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416th Bombardment Group (L) S/Sgt. Harold Eugene Boyer Airplane Mechanic - Gunner, 20506057 Evaded Capture 669th Bombardment Squadron (L) |
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Born: 19-Oct-1919, Anna, Shelby County, Ohio
Entered Military Service: Date: 11-Sep-1938 At: OH NARA Enlistment Record: Enlisted Serial # 20506057 POW summary: Fail to Return Date: 27-May-1944 Evaded Capture for over 3 months until Liberated by Allies Return Date: 3-Sep-1944 Died: 2-Nov-2000, Anna, Shelby County, Ohio On-line Memorials: National World War II Registry Find-A-Grave |
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Extracts from Boyer, Harold E. (S/SGT.) Escape & Evasion Report EE-1465 (Original NARA Report) MIS-X Report Number: EE-1465 / IS9 Report Number: I.S.9(WEA)/2/333/819 Interviewed by I.S.9 (WEA): Sept 3 1944 Date missing in action: May 27, 1944 Returned to UK: Sept 4, 1944
R.A.F.
Questionnaire for Service Personnel
Helper
On the evening of May 27 on bombing mission to Amiens, France, our A.20 Havoc received a hit by heavy flak in bomb bay. We bailed out about one second after bombs were released, landed in Southern part of town in flower garden. I cracked my left ankle. People mostly German, were hunting me, I evaded them until I made contact with the Resistance people, who handed me to before mentioned address. I left this address on 1 Sep 44, by supply truck to St Andre, and came rest of the way by air. I was unable to walk for the first month after I reached my helpers house, owing to my cracked ankle. See also NARA E & E Report for Crewmember 2Lt Harry Hewes: Escape & Evasion Report EE-2455 (Original NARA Report) French Helpers listed in Escape & Evasion Report EE-1465: Mme. Jeanne Vignon-Tellier, 137, Rue Vulfran - Warme, Amiens - Somme (I.S.9 Register of Helpers Index Name: Mme VIGNON-TELLIER) Additional information In her book "MIA, an untold story", Jen Martz relates additional details of her Father's experiences, some briefly included here. S/Sgt Harold E. Boyer landed in the southern part of the town of Amiens, France, in a garden near the targeted marshalling yards. On landing, he cracked his left ankle, but even though injured was able to evade the Germans searching for him. Boyer hid in a nearby junk car, also occupied by Capt James E. Zengerle who had been shot down 2 days earlier. In one of many amazing coincidences that happened during WWII, Zengerle was the best friend of Boyer's brother, Capt Ralph C. Boyer, so the two men knew each other well. While the men hid in the car, a child was playing nearby and the Evaders could hear singing and whistling. Suddenly, a bottle was tossed into their junk car hiding spot with a message stating "We are coming to get you tonight." French Resistance helpers picked up the two men, hid them in a wagon and took them to the home of Mme. Jeanne Vignon-Tellier, 137 Rue Vulfran - Warme, Amiens Somme, France. As noted above, S/Sgt Boyer was aided, fed and housed by Mme. Jeanne Vignon-Tellier until Amiens was liberated by the Allied Army 31-Aug-1944. 12 Allied Evaders were living with Mme. Vignon-Tellier in July and August, 1944. Mme. Jeanne Vignon-Tellier is credited with assisting many Evaders during the War, helping many escape through one of the French Resistance escape lines. After WWII was over, she was recommended for and awarded the King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom.
1 - S/Sgt Harold E. BOYER (USAAF) - 416BG/669BS - A-20 / 43-9983 - FTR 27-May-1944 - E&E Report EE-1465 (Original NARA Report) 2 - F/O Alec W. DRAGE (RAF) - 103 Sqn - Lancaster JB732 - FTR 11-Apr-1944 - E&E Report IS9(WEA)2/326/2058 (TNA Reference WO 208/3351/2058) 3 - S/Sgt Clarence P. LEIBRING (USAAF) - 384BG/544BS - B-17 / 42-39991 - FTR 4-Mar-1944 - E&E Report EE-1469 (Original NARA Report) 4 - F/Sgt Angus J. MACAULAY (RAF) - 10 Sqn - Lancaster JB732 - FTR 11-Apr-1944 - E&E Report IS9(WEA)2/347/500 (TNA Reference WO 208/3349/500) 5 - 1/Lt Lloyd NMI RINKEL (USAAF) - 394BG/587BS - B-26 / 42-96079 - FTR 22-Apr-1944 - E&E Report EE-1464 (Original NARA Report) 6 - S/Sgt Ladislao C. CASTRO (USAAF) - 44BG/506BS - B-24 / 41-29172 - FTR 18-Mar-1944 - E&E Report EE-1463 (Original NARA Report) 7 - F/O Anthony J. A. BRYAN (RCAF) - 403 Sqn - Spitfire MJ645 - FTR 21-May 44 - E&E Report MI9/SPG/2498 (TNA Reference WO 208/3323/2498) 8 - Capt James E. ZENGERLE (USAAF) - 388BG/562BS - B-17 / 42-31741 - FTR 25-May-1944 - E&E Report EE-1467 (Original NARA Report) 9 - F/O Richard N. "Peter" JOHNSON (RAF) - 101 Sqn - Lancaster DV288 - FTR 11-Apr 44 - E&E Report MI9/SPG/2261 (TNA Reference WO 208/3322/56) L-R, Front Row: 10 - W/Cdr Donald R. DONALDSON (RAAF) - 463 Sqn - Lancaster LM597 - FTR 25-Jun-1944 - E&E Report IS9(WEA)2/327/1023 (TNA Reference WO 208/3350/1023) 11 - Mme. Jeanne VIGNON-TELLIER - Safe-Keeper 12 - Liliane VIGNON - Granddaughter of Mme. Jeanne Vignon-Tellier 13 - Claude VIGNON - Grandson of Mme. Jeanne Vignon-Tellier 14 - S/Sgt Paul B. YOUNG (USAAF) - 351BG/508BS - B-17 / 42-3517 - 24-FTR Feb-1944 - E&E Report EE-1531 (Original NARA Report) 15 - 1/Lt Richard B. CAUGHMAN (USAAF) - 351BG/508BS - B-17 / 42-3517 - FTR 24-Feb-1944 - E&E Report EE-1466 (Original NARA Report) See "Joe Balfe and the escape network at Hornoy le Bourg and Amiens" for additional information on these Evaders and others helped by Mme. Jeanne Vignon-Tellier and the Joe Balfe E&E network. USAAF "Escape and Evasion Reports, 1942 - 1945" available at NARA. British MI9/IS9 reports and Mme. Jeanne Vignon-Tellier related files were graciously provided by researcher Michael Moores LeBlanc from his personal collection. MI9/IS9 reports are also available from the British TNA (The National Archives), some on-line. See E&E Reports for general information. |
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MACR 5035 Details Notes: A/C Last Sighted. Lost as a result of Enemy Anti-Aircraft. A-20 was seen to drop out of formation over target. Last seen flying west from Amiens slowly loosing altitude. Description: Lt Hewes was also hit over the target. He was last seen flying west from Amiens, slowly losing altitude. No chutes were seen and nothing further was reported on him. ... The four crews were: Lt Allen W. Gullion Jr., S/Sgt Grady F. Cope, and S/Sgt Gerald L. Coffey; Lt Lucien J. Siracusa, S/Sgt James M. Hume, and S/Sgt Floyd E. Brown; Lt Harry E. Hewes, S/Sgt Joseph F. Kasper, and S/Sgt Harold E. Boyer; Lt Tommie J. Simms, S/Sgt Julius C. Williamson, and S/Sgt Harry W. Larsen. (416th BG History 1944) See also Mission # 58 |
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See Also:
Prisoner Of War (POW) Camps
Escape & Evasion (E&E) Reports
POW/E&E Terms and Acronyms
POW/E&E Sources, References, Resources
