Francis E. Owens - Staff Sergeant
Born: Dec. 26, 1921
Died: KIA - Nov. 25, 1943
Burial Location: Ardennes American Military Cemetery, Belgium
Served in the Army Air Corps as a tail and waist gunner of B-17F Bomber, 553rd Bombardment Squad of the 381st Bomb Group in Ridgewell, England druring WWII.
Owens was awarded the Soldiers Medal for saving the life of a comrade during the intense explosions of the 23 June bomb loading accident at Ridgewell Field.
He again risked his life when his aircraft ws under intense cannon fire on July 4 1943 and rescued badly injured radioman John K. Lane from certain death. He dragged the semic-conscious man from the buring radio room to therear hatch and pushed him to safety. Owens bailed out successfully and spent most of his evasion time with Lt. Ballinger at farms northeast of the crashsite. In October 1943 the two joined other alled escapees in Paris and then made their way to escape to Spain. During his hike through the mountains owens was too exhausted to continue and is thought to have died due to exposure. His body was eventually recovered and buried in the Ardennes American Military Cemetery in Belgium. Besides the Soldiers Medal, Owen was also awarded the Air Medal and Purple Heart in recognition of his patriotic service to his country.
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