2nd lt. Miles Osmer

[milmuseum]

Here is some research I performed for a dear friend last year.
About two years ago my friend Miles White of Brightwood Oregon brought me a small U.S. AAF officers collar pin and told me it belonged to his uncle who had died in WWII. I did not think much of it at the time and was going to put it in with many others I had just like it. Then about a month later he brought me the wing and propeller pin for the other collar. This generated more discussion over several beers and several weeks later I learned that all he knew about his uncle was that he was shot down over Germany. At the time Miles’s brother was very ill and wanted to know more about his favorite Uncle, 2nd Lt. Miles Osmer. I started my research and I found reference to a book with the last picture taken of the crew before their fatal mission. The book was called “American WWII Orphans Network, In Their Memory”. It took me a while and quite a few emails to Turner Publishing and was finally able to speak to the author of the book, Ann Bennett Mix and other members of the AWON organization. In this book was a picture donated by Carolyn Ramey who’s Father SGT. Elvin Brown was a crewman (tail gunner?). I was able to reach Carolyn and she sent me a copy of the original crew’s picture.
I believe a photo of two of the 385th BG planes that were lost on Oct 6th is on my Flickr page-these are photos my father Elvin Brown took during his time in the 385th. He completed his tour of 35 missions sometime in September 1944, and he took some photos while in formation with other 548th BS planes. Carolyn.
Flickr
Meanwhile my friends brother who wanted this information was on his deathbed. I was able to show him this photo of the crew and his Uncle Miles the day before he died. I had not had time to put everything together for his to see but I was able to share it with the rest of the family after his funeral. The wonderful folks with AWON also sent me a copy of the book shortly after. I’ll not forget the joy my friend Miles showed when I opened the book and showed him the picture. His family knew next to nothing about 2nd lt. Osmer’s fate. Less than w week later my friend Miles went to the hospital not feeling well and died of a stomach illness the next day. This was a great shock as he seemed to be in perfect health the days before. Fortunately I was able to show him a draft of the research I had done just before he died and was able to show all of his family at this funeral.

I hope all of you enjoy the bit of research I have done so far.

Burt

Lt. Miles Osmer S/N 0771512 CO Pilot
551St BOMB SQUADRON HEAVY
385TH BOMB GROUP HEAVY [HR-Q]
AIRCRAFT # 42-98010
B-17G-40-VE Fortress
On his second mission of the war 2nd Lt. Miles Osmer gave his life for our country.
Mission # 194 6 October 1944
Missing in Action: Target, Berlin (Spandau) Shot down by enemy aircraft
At 1206 hours and at the I.P., the 385th B Group, flying High Group in the 4 B Combat Wing, peeled off and took its position for the bomb run. At 1207 hours, enemy fighters attacked in mass formation from the rear and above, coming out of the clouds. The first attack reduced the Group strength to 2 A/C (which two is undetermined). The fighters then returned and in another mass attack, using the same tactics, shot down the remaining two. Attacks were very aggressive and sudden. Groups ahead report that several A/C were seen to blow up and spin down. Some chutes were also observed, but due to the confusion and number of A/C going down it is undetermined from what A/C the chutes came. No exact information of the attack is available because no A/C of the Group concerned returned. Estimate as to the number of Enemy Aircraft range from 25 to 70 conventional types, presumed to be either ME 109´s or FW 190´s. The aircraft crashed in Liepe, Germany. The entire squadron of 11 American B-17’s were shot down.
The following page shows the losses for the 385th Bomber Group on October 6th 1944
62 Killed In Action - 21 Prisoners Of War
43-37060 (385th BG, 548th BS, 'Texas Bluebonnet') MACR 9508
Pilot: Lucien Courcelle, Frank Bullen, Hubert Bivins, Roy Slaper, Delbert Hamilton, Roland Leider, Jerry Weir, Bob Bozine (8 KIA); Marvin Wolverton (POW) 44-6159 (385th BG, 551st BS) 'West Virginian' MACR 9515
Pilot: Ray Noiseau, Metro Marchyn (2POW); Bill Waggoner, Bill Feuerstein, Stan Gue, Norman Wiess, Paul Provinical, Jim Burns, Don McGraw (7 KIA)
44-8143 (385th BG, 548th BS) MACR 9516
Pilot: Capt Jack Batty, Capt Edwin Herron, Mike Galicia, Lou DiNicola, Lt Bill Daniels {mickey op}, Ellwood Maxam, Lt Edgar Griffith {tg}, (7 KIA)
43-37548 (385th BG, 548th BS) MACR 9517
Pilot: Hyman Kaplan, Kelso Poore, Ned Mertz (3KIA); Harry Livingston, Walt Schulte, Jim Mulder, Alf Flesner, Bruce Ely, Harry Mathieu (6 POW)
43-38217 (385th BG, 551st BS) MACR 9519
Pilot: Ray Tuley, Jack Rock, Herb Evans, Bill McCauley, leland Harvey, Bob Campbell (6 KIA); Walt Hartman, Joe Gorchak, John Standley (3 POW)
43-38430 (385th BG, 548th BS) MACR 9520
Pilot: Don Andreas, Harry Swift, Mike Cangemi, Bob Quicksall (4 KIA); Alvin Rosenthal, Abel Rebello, Rod Hambree, Mike Pace, George Sachen (5 POW);
42-97079 (385th BG, 548th BS, 'Dozy Doats') MACR 9521
Pilot: Everett Isaacson, Filbert Dye, Howard Ryan, Bill Ligon, Joe Mandarano (5 KIA) Warren Story, Don McQuade, Irvin Poole, Joe Matuszak (4 POW) 42-97275 (385th BG, 549th BS, 'Roger the Dodger') MACR 9522
Bill Leverett, Dick Phillips, Bob Karshmer, Emmanuel Pappas, Harry Muentener, John Birrell, Milton Hyman, John Albers (8 POW); Jim Davis (KIA)
42-98010 (385th BG, 551th BS) MACR 9523
Pilot: Delroy Taylor, Miles Osmer, Orlando Krupka, Ira Barnes, Albt Beenes, Vernon James, Elvin Brown, Orvil Wright (8 KIA); Bruce Martin (POW)
42-98016 (385th BG, 548th BS) MACR 9524
Pilot: Bob Funk, Bill Davis, George Curtis, Doug Randolph, Gene Cahill, Delmar Harmon, Burnie Goldson, Chester Foster (8 KIA) Bob McNichols (POW)
42-102465 (385th BG, 551st BS) "Wee Willie Wilber' MACR 9525
Pilot: Bill Jens, Athrian Vaughn, Bob Huff, Stewart Love, Chester Means, Joe Kunkle, Aloysius Kozanecki, Fred Nagle, Stan Pylko (9 KIA)
Purple Heart, Air Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal

2nd Lt. Miles Osmer, second from left top row
Photo courtesy of Carolyn Grimes



Plot C, Row 13, Grave 2 American War Cemetery Ardennes
The following pages are courtesy of Carolyn Grimes. They include the MACR or missing air crew report, casualty questionnaire, urgent telegram from the German army and details of when they found the bodies of his crew and where they initially buried them. Also there is a statement from the community priest who helped bury 18 of the crewmen.




Miles was initially buried at the community cemetery of Liepe on 8 October 1944. He was later moved to the American War Cemetery Ardennes Belgium, Plot C, Row 13, Grave 2



This military issue bible was found in a trunk along with other items saved by 2nd Lt. Osmer’s parents. It belonged to Floyd W, Smith. The family is not sure how this ended up in his effects.



This package was found with some of the other items relating to 2nd Lt. Osmer. It was sent by his Mother with 15 cents postage on the 16th of October 1944. Ironically that was 10 days after his plane was shot down so she was unaware of his death at that time. The package was returned marked (Return Missing in Action) January 1945. It has never been opened.