Lt. Howard Combs, Jr. of Clarence was killed over Eastern Germany while strafing an enemy train at low altitude on September 11. He had been reported as missing in action. The parents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Combs, Sr., received a letter from one of his friends who was on the same mission, convincing them there was no reason to hope he had survived. Lt. Combs was 25 years of age. He graduated from the Clarence High School in 1937 and had three years at the University of Missouri. Both he and his brother attended Heidelburg University in Germany. Surviving are his parents, and a brother, Ensign Robert Combs of the Navy.
He recently had joined an Eighth Fighter Command P-51 Mustang station in England and had made several missions providing escort protection for heavy bombers, by bombing and strafing ground installations, airfields, convoys and other targets and by providing cover for Allied troops. He was attached to 352nd Fighter Group, 486th Fighter Squadron.
While on a strafing attack in Herzberg area, a town in Gottingen, district of lower Saxony, Germany, the group had completed two passes at ground targets. Combs in his blue nosed P-51 went in to make an attack on a marshaling yard and other planes formed in his pattern. His pass was very steep and his ship was observed to make many strikes on all of the cars. Then his ship hit the last three cars and exploded. This completely derailed the string of cars destroyed the entire string.
Contributor: Terry Frank (47924148) •
He recently had joined an Eighth Fighter Command P-51 Mustang station in England and had made several missions providing escort protection for heavy bombers, by bombing and strafing ground installations, airfields, convoys and other targets and by providing cover for Allied troops. He was attached to 352nd Fighter Group, 486th Fighter Squadron.
While on a strafing attack in Herzberg area, a town in Gottingen, district of lower Saxony, Germany, the group had completed two passes at ground targets. Combs in his blue nosed P-51 went in to make an attack on a marshaling yard and other planes formed in his pattern. His pass was very steep and his ship was observed to make many strikes on all of the cars. Then his ship hit the last three cars and exploded. This completely derailed the string of cars destroyed the entire string.
Contributor: Terry Frank (47924148) •
Lt. Howard Combs, Jr. of Clarence was killed over Eastern Germany while strafing an enemy train at low altitude on September 11. He had been reported as missing in action. The parents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Combs, Sr., received a letter from one of his friends who was on the same mission, convincing them there was no reason to hope he had survived. Lt. Combs was 25 years of age. He graduated from the Clarence High School in 1937 and had three years at the University of Missouri. Both he and his brother attended Heidelburg University in Germany. Surviving are his parents, and a brother, Ensign Robert Combs of the Navy.
He recently had joined an Eighth Fighter Command P-51 Mustang station in England and had made several missions providing escort protection for heavy bombers, by bombing and strafing ground installations, airfields, convoys and other targets and by providing cover for Allied troops. He was attached to 352nd Fighter Group, 486th Fighter Squadron.
While on a strafing attack in Herzberg area, a town in Gottingen, district of lower Saxony, Germany, the group had completed two passes at ground targets. Combs in his blue nosed P-51 went in to make an attack on a marshaling yard and other planes formed in his pattern. His pass was very steep and his ship was observed to make many strikes on all of the cars. Then his ship hit the last three cars and exploded. This completely derailed the string of cars destroyed the entire string.
Contributor: Terry Frank (47924148) •
He recently had joined an Eighth Fighter Command P-51 Mustang station in England and had made several missions providing escort protection for heavy bombers, by bombing and strafing ground installations, airfields, convoys and other targets and by providing cover for Allied troops. He was attached to 352nd Fighter Group, 486th Fighter Squadron.
While on a strafing attack in Herzberg area, a town in Gottingen, district of lower Saxony, Germany, the group had completed two passes at ground targets. Combs in his blue nosed P-51 went in to make an attack on a marshaling yard and other planes formed in his pattern. His pass was very steep and his ship was observed to make many strikes on all of the cars. Then his ship hit the last three cars and exploded. This completely derailed the string of cars destroyed the entire string.
Contributor: Terry Frank (47924148) •
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Missouri.
Family Members
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