Entered the service from Georgia.
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Thomas Wilkins has a cenotaph in Atlanta, GA, USA at Westview Cemetery:
Thomas Wilkins
Thomas Wilkins was born in Georgia and was the son of Samuel G. and Elizabeth G. Wilkins also from Georgia. He had a brother named Samuel G. Wilkins Jr., 5 years older than him. His father was an Adjustment Board manager and the family lived in DeKalb, Georgia in 1930. Before entering the Air Corps, he had finished a year of college and was working as an actor. At the time of enlistment on 13 Mar 1942, he was 20 years old and lived in Muscogee, GA.
Hi Jinx
No. 42-31145, "Hi-Jinx," a B-17G-5-BO, built by Boeing at the Seattle plant and delivered to the Army Air Force on September 25, 1943. Hi-Jinx is now known to have been assigned to the 708th Squadron before its departure for England.
Hi-Jinx was flown to England in late November by the Gilleran crew, who named the aircraft. On board were:
2nd Lt. Thomas W. Gilleran, P
2nd Lt. Henry E. Mamlock, CP
2nd Lt. Richard L. Lazarus, N
2nd Lt. Marion O. McGurer, B
S/Sgt. Charles H. McHugh, ENG
T/Sgt. Harley H. Tuck, ROG
S/Sgt. Eugene A. Kealer, BTG
S/Sgt. Fred T. Hawley, WG
Sgt. M.D. Harris, WG
Sgt. Neal R. Dill, TG
Combat Missions:
No. Date Target Pilot
3 12/31/43 COGNAC Rozmus
6 01/07/44 LUDWIGSHAFEN Kruezer
7 01/11/44 BRUNSWICK Rozmus
9 01/21/44 NOBALL NO. 107 Gilleran
10 01/24/44 FRANKFURT Gilleran
12 01/30/44 BRUNSWICK Gilleran
13 02/03/44 WILHELMSHAVEN Gilleran
14 02/04/44 FRANKFURT Harris
15 02/05/44 ROMILLY Rozmus
16 02/06/44 EVREUX-FAUVILLE Reed
On the way to a supply depot target in France on February 6, 1944, Hi-Jinx was hit by flak, killing or gravely wounding its pilot, Lt. Allen Reed, and navigator, Lt. James
Co-pilot Lt. Arthur L. Clark gave the order for the rest of the crew to bail out, but remained, fighting the controls to prevent the aircraft from crashing into the town of Wissous. Lt. Clark died when Hi-Jinx crashed into an empty field outside of town. Bombardier Lt. Thomas Wilkins was shot by German soldiers, either while parachuting or immediately after landing. The rest of the crewmen were captured.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart posthumously.
The field in which Hi-Jinx crashed has been made into a public park, L'Espace d'Arthur Clark, featuring a memorial to the crew. Every year,, the townspeople of Wissous welcome veterans from the 447th for a rededication ceremony.
------------
Thomas Wilkins has a cenotaph in Atlanta, GA, USA at Westview Cemetery:
Thomas Wilkins
Thomas Wilkins was born in Georgia and was the son of Samuel G. and Elizabeth G. Wilkins also from Georgia. He had a brother named Samuel G. Wilkins Jr., 5 years older than him. His father was an Adjustment Board manager and the family lived in DeKalb, Georgia in 1930. Before entering the Air Corps, he had finished a year of college and was working as an actor. At the time of enlistment on 13 Mar 1942, he was 20 years old and lived in Muscogee, GA.
Hi Jinx
No. 42-31145, "Hi-Jinx," a B-17G-5-BO, built by Boeing at the Seattle plant and delivered to the Army Air Force on September 25, 1943. Hi-Jinx is now known to have been assigned to the 708th Squadron before its departure for England.
Hi-Jinx was flown to England in late November by the Gilleran crew, who named the aircraft. On board were:
2nd Lt. Thomas W. Gilleran, P
2nd Lt. Henry E. Mamlock, CP
2nd Lt. Richard L. Lazarus, N
2nd Lt. Marion O. McGurer, B
S/Sgt. Charles H. McHugh, ENG
T/Sgt. Harley H. Tuck, ROG
S/Sgt. Eugene A. Kealer, BTG
S/Sgt. Fred T. Hawley, WG
Sgt. M.D. Harris, WG
Sgt. Neal R. Dill, TG
Combat Missions:
No. Date Target Pilot
3 12/31/43 COGNAC Rozmus
6 01/07/44 LUDWIGSHAFEN Kruezer
7 01/11/44 BRUNSWICK Rozmus
9 01/21/44 NOBALL NO. 107 Gilleran
10 01/24/44 FRANKFURT Gilleran
12 01/30/44 BRUNSWICK Gilleran
13 02/03/44 WILHELMSHAVEN Gilleran
14 02/04/44 FRANKFURT Harris
15 02/05/44 ROMILLY Rozmus
16 02/06/44 EVREUX-FAUVILLE Reed
On the way to a supply depot target in France on February 6, 1944, Hi-Jinx was hit by flak, killing or gravely wounding its pilot, Lt. Allen Reed, and navigator, Lt. James
Co-pilot Lt. Arthur L. Clark gave the order for the rest of the crew to bail out, but remained, fighting the controls to prevent the aircraft from crashing into the town of Wissous. Lt. Clark died when Hi-Jinx crashed into an empty field outside of town. Bombardier Lt. Thomas Wilkins was shot by German soldiers, either while parachuting or immediately after landing. The rest of the crewmen were captured.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart posthumously.
The field in which Hi-Jinx crashed has been made into a public park, L'Espace d'Arthur Clark, featuring a memorial to the crew. Every year,, the townspeople of Wissous welcome veterans from the 447th for a rededication ceremony.
Entered the service from Georgia.
------------
Thomas Wilkins has a cenotaph in Atlanta, GA, USA at Westview Cemetery:
Thomas Wilkins
Thomas Wilkins was born in Georgia and was the son of Samuel G. and Elizabeth G. Wilkins also from Georgia. He had a brother named Samuel G. Wilkins Jr., 5 years older than him. His father was an Adjustment Board manager and the family lived in DeKalb, Georgia in 1930. Before entering the Air Corps, he had finished a year of college and was working as an actor. At the time of enlistment on 13 Mar 1942, he was 20 years old and lived in Muscogee, GA.
Hi Jinx
No. 42-31145, "Hi-Jinx," a B-17G-5-BO, built by Boeing at the Seattle plant and delivered to the Army Air Force on September 25, 1943. Hi-Jinx is now known to have been assigned to the 708th Squadron before its departure for England.
Hi-Jinx was flown to England in late November by the Gilleran crew, who named the aircraft. On board were:
2nd Lt. Thomas W. Gilleran, P
2nd Lt. Henry E. Mamlock, CP
2nd Lt. Richard L. Lazarus, N
2nd Lt. Marion O. McGurer, B
S/Sgt. Charles H. McHugh, ENG
T/Sgt. Harley H. Tuck, ROG
S/Sgt. Eugene A. Kealer, BTG
S/Sgt. Fred T. Hawley, WG
Sgt. M.D. Harris, WG
Sgt. Neal R. Dill, TG
Combat Missions:
No. Date Target Pilot
3 12/31/43 COGNAC Rozmus
6 01/07/44 LUDWIGSHAFEN Kruezer
7 01/11/44 BRUNSWICK Rozmus
9 01/21/44 NOBALL NO. 107 Gilleran
10 01/24/44 FRANKFURT Gilleran
12 01/30/44 BRUNSWICK Gilleran
13 02/03/44 WILHELMSHAVEN Gilleran
14 02/04/44 FRANKFURT Harris
15 02/05/44 ROMILLY Rozmus
16 02/06/44 EVREUX-FAUVILLE Reed
On the way to a supply depot target in France on February 6, 1944, Hi-Jinx was hit by flak, killing or gravely wounding its pilot, Lt. Allen Reed, and navigator, Lt. James
Co-pilot Lt. Arthur L. Clark gave the order for the rest of the crew to bail out, but remained, fighting the controls to prevent the aircraft from crashing into the town of Wissous. Lt. Clark died when Hi-Jinx crashed into an empty field outside of town. Bombardier Lt. Thomas Wilkins was shot by German soldiers, either while parachuting or immediately after landing. The rest of the crewmen were captured.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart posthumously.
The field in which Hi-Jinx crashed has been made into a public park, L'Espace d'Arthur Clark, featuring a memorial to the crew. Every year,, the townspeople of Wissous welcome veterans from the 447th for a rededication ceremony.
------------
Thomas Wilkins has a cenotaph in Atlanta, GA, USA at Westview Cemetery:
Thomas Wilkins
Thomas Wilkins was born in Georgia and was the son of Samuel G. and Elizabeth G. Wilkins also from Georgia. He had a brother named Samuel G. Wilkins Jr., 5 years older than him. His father was an Adjustment Board manager and the family lived in DeKalb, Georgia in 1930. Before entering the Air Corps, he had finished a year of college and was working as an actor. At the time of enlistment on 13 Mar 1942, he was 20 years old and lived in Muscogee, GA.
Hi Jinx
No. 42-31145, "Hi-Jinx," a B-17G-5-BO, built by Boeing at the Seattle plant and delivered to the Army Air Force on September 25, 1943. Hi-Jinx is now known to have been assigned to the 708th Squadron before its departure for England.
Hi-Jinx was flown to England in late November by the Gilleran crew, who named the aircraft. On board were:
2nd Lt. Thomas W. Gilleran, P
2nd Lt. Henry E. Mamlock, CP
2nd Lt. Richard L. Lazarus, N
2nd Lt. Marion O. McGurer, B
S/Sgt. Charles H. McHugh, ENG
T/Sgt. Harley H. Tuck, ROG
S/Sgt. Eugene A. Kealer, BTG
S/Sgt. Fred T. Hawley, WG
Sgt. M.D. Harris, WG
Sgt. Neal R. Dill, TG
Combat Missions:
No. Date Target Pilot
3 12/31/43 COGNAC Rozmus
6 01/07/44 LUDWIGSHAFEN Kruezer
7 01/11/44 BRUNSWICK Rozmus
9 01/21/44 NOBALL NO. 107 Gilleran
10 01/24/44 FRANKFURT Gilleran
12 01/30/44 BRUNSWICK Gilleran
13 02/03/44 WILHELMSHAVEN Gilleran
14 02/04/44 FRANKFURT Harris
15 02/05/44 ROMILLY Rozmus
16 02/06/44 EVREUX-FAUVILLE Reed
On the way to a supply depot target in France on February 6, 1944, Hi-Jinx was hit by flak, killing or gravely wounding its pilot, Lt. Allen Reed, and navigator, Lt. James
Co-pilot Lt. Arthur L. Clark gave the order for the rest of the crew to bail out, but remained, fighting the controls to prevent the aircraft from crashing into the town of Wissous. Lt. Clark died when Hi-Jinx crashed into an empty field outside of town. Bombardier Lt. Thomas Wilkins was shot by German soldiers, either while parachuting or immediately after landing. The rest of the crewmen were captured.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart posthumously.
The field in which Hi-Jinx crashed has been made into a public park, L'Espace d'Arthur Clark, featuring a memorial to the crew. Every year,, the townspeople of Wissous welcome veterans from the 447th for a rededication ceremony.
Inscription
2LT 708 AAF BOMB SQ 447 BOMB GP
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