Entered the service from Texas.
Service #: O-674198
Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
~
Hal Kimber Hughes was born August 21, 1922 in Greenville, Texas. The son of Thomas Oscar Hughes and Grace Jewell Stoke Hughes, he had an older sister and brother and two younger sisters. He grew up in Dallas, where his family had moved to in 1926, and attended Woodrow Wilson Highschool. He was heavily involved in sports and participated in tennis, track, football, and baseball. Hal was also a member of his high school's Physics club and theatre group, a class vice-president, and a member of the ROTC and YMCA. He graduated in 1941 and got a job working as a routeman.
Hal enlisted in the US Army Air Force on March 19, 1942. He underwent training at Hondo, Texas and Great Falls, Montana before being sent overseas in July 1943. He served as a navigator with the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group (Heavy) based at RAF Framlingham, England.
On October 10, 1943 Lt. Hal Hughes took part in the massive daylight bombing raid on Münster, Germany. He was the navigator aboard the Boeing B17F 42-30826 "Spirit of the Union Pacific" (TN: 230826) piloted by Capt. Robert Short. The crew's usual plane (B17F 42-30332, "Short Stuff) was out of service undergoing repairs so they were assigned "Union of the Pacific" for the Münster raid.
At approximately 1 pm at around an estimated 25,000+ feet, just before turning on target over Münster, the bomber was struck by either a flak burst or by fire from a Messerschmitt BF109 piloted by Leo-Lothar Barann. The number 3 engine was hit and caught fire and the vertical stabilizer was blown apart. Attempts to control the fire proved futile and the flames quickly spread. The pilot ordered his crew to bail out as the wing buckled and the bomber began it's death spiral towards earth. Nine parachutes were spotted before the plane exploded moments later. It crashed on the Stadtbaumer Farm along Schiffahrter Damm, near Ostbrevern.
"Union of the Pacific" had flown just five missions and was one of 30 B-17s lost on "Black Sunday". The bomber was named in honor of the 65,000 Union Pacific Railroad employees who had voluntarily increased their payroll deductions in order to purchase $379,000 in war bonds in May and June of 1943.
Three of the eleven men on board would become fatalities (besides the 10 crewmembers, there was also a military photographer on the flight). The ball turret gunner did not make it out of his ball turret and went down with the plane. The circumstances behind the radio operator's death are unknown but it's likely his chute failed to open. Navigator Hal Hughes managed to safely bail out but was badly injured during his descent, with his leg being amputated by a flak burst. Just before reaching the ground he struck a roof, then hit an iron spike fence, further adding to his already serious injuries. He was taken prisoner and moved to Greven. The following day, October 11, Hal passed away from his wounds. He was 21 years old. While it's known that he died in a German hospital, it's unclear from the reports if he died at Greven or if he was moved to the German orthopedic hospital Reserve Lazaarett IX C at Obermassfeld and passed away there.
Remembered by his captain as being "a super young man", Hal Hughes was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, and the Purple Heart. He is interred at Belgium's Ardennes American Cemetery, plot D, row 12, grave 12.
Service #: O-674198
Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
~
Hal Kimber Hughes was born August 21, 1922 in Greenville, Texas. The son of Thomas Oscar Hughes and Grace Jewell Stoke Hughes, he had an older sister and brother and two younger sisters. He grew up in Dallas, where his family had moved to in 1926, and attended Woodrow Wilson Highschool. He was heavily involved in sports and participated in tennis, track, football, and baseball. Hal was also a member of his high school's Physics club and theatre group, a class vice-president, and a member of the ROTC and YMCA. He graduated in 1941 and got a job working as a routeman.
Hal enlisted in the US Army Air Force on March 19, 1942. He underwent training at Hondo, Texas and Great Falls, Montana before being sent overseas in July 1943. He served as a navigator with the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group (Heavy) based at RAF Framlingham, England.
On October 10, 1943 Lt. Hal Hughes took part in the massive daylight bombing raid on Münster, Germany. He was the navigator aboard the Boeing B17F 42-30826 "Spirit of the Union Pacific" (TN: 230826) piloted by Capt. Robert Short. The crew's usual plane (B17F 42-30332, "Short Stuff) was out of service undergoing repairs so they were assigned "Union of the Pacific" for the Münster raid.
At approximately 1 pm at around an estimated 25,000+ feet, just before turning on target over Münster, the bomber was struck by either a flak burst or by fire from a Messerschmitt BF109 piloted by Leo-Lothar Barann. The number 3 engine was hit and caught fire and the vertical stabilizer was blown apart. Attempts to control the fire proved futile and the flames quickly spread. The pilot ordered his crew to bail out as the wing buckled and the bomber began it's death spiral towards earth. Nine parachutes were spotted before the plane exploded moments later. It crashed on the Stadtbaumer Farm along Schiffahrter Damm, near Ostbrevern.
"Union of the Pacific" had flown just five missions and was one of 30 B-17s lost on "Black Sunday". The bomber was named in honor of the 65,000 Union Pacific Railroad employees who had voluntarily increased their payroll deductions in order to purchase $379,000 in war bonds in May and June of 1943.
Three of the eleven men on board would become fatalities (besides the 10 crewmembers, there was also a military photographer on the flight). The ball turret gunner did not make it out of his ball turret and went down with the plane. The circumstances behind the radio operator's death are unknown but it's likely his chute failed to open. Navigator Hal Hughes managed to safely bail out but was badly injured during his descent, with his leg being amputated by a flak burst. Just before reaching the ground he struck a roof, then hit an iron spike fence, further adding to his already serious injuries. He was taken prisoner and moved to Greven. The following day, October 11, Hal passed away from his wounds. He was 21 years old. While it's known that he died in a German hospital, it's unclear from the reports if he died at Greven or if he was moved to the German orthopedic hospital Reserve Lazaarett IX C at Obermassfeld and passed away there.
Remembered by his captain as being "a super young man", Hal Hughes was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, and the Purple Heart. He is interred at Belgium's Ardennes American Cemetery, plot D, row 12, grave 12.
Entered the service from Texas.
Service #: O-674198
Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
~
Hal Kimber Hughes was born August 21, 1922 in Greenville, Texas. The son of Thomas Oscar Hughes and Grace Jewell Stoke Hughes, he had an older sister and brother and two younger sisters. He grew up in Dallas, where his family had moved to in 1926, and attended Woodrow Wilson Highschool. He was heavily involved in sports and participated in tennis, track, football, and baseball. Hal was also a member of his high school's Physics club and theatre group, a class vice-president, and a member of the ROTC and YMCA. He graduated in 1941 and got a job working as a routeman.
Hal enlisted in the US Army Air Force on March 19, 1942. He underwent training at Hondo, Texas and Great Falls, Montana before being sent overseas in July 1943. He served as a navigator with the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group (Heavy) based at RAF Framlingham, England.
On October 10, 1943 Lt. Hal Hughes took part in the massive daylight bombing raid on Münster, Germany. He was the navigator aboard the Boeing B17F 42-30826 "Spirit of the Union Pacific" (TN: 230826) piloted by Capt. Robert Short. The crew's usual plane (B17F 42-30332, "Short Stuff) was out of service undergoing repairs so they were assigned "Union of the Pacific" for the Münster raid.
At approximately 1 pm at around an estimated 25,000+ feet, just before turning on target over Münster, the bomber was struck by either a flak burst or by fire from a Messerschmitt BF109 piloted by Leo-Lothar Barann. The number 3 engine was hit and caught fire and the vertical stabilizer was blown apart. Attempts to control the fire proved futile and the flames quickly spread. The pilot ordered his crew to bail out as the wing buckled and the bomber began it's death spiral towards earth. Nine parachutes were spotted before the plane exploded moments later. It crashed on the Stadtbaumer Farm along Schiffahrter Damm, near Ostbrevern.
"Union of the Pacific" had flown just five missions and was one of 30 B-17s lost on "Black Sunday". The bomber was named in honor of the 65,000 Union Pacific Railroad employees who had voluntarily increased their payroll deductions in order to purchase $379,000 in war bonds in May and June of 1943.
Three of the eleven men on board would become fatalities (besides the 10 crewmembers, there was also a military photographer on the flight). The ball turret gunner did not make it out of his ball turret and went down with the plane. The circumstances behind the radio operator's death are unknown but it's likely his chute failed to open. Navigator Hal Hughes managed to safely bail out but was badly injured during his descent, with his leg being amputated by a flak burst. Just before reaching the ground he struck a roof, then hit an iron spike fence, further adding to his already serious injuries. He was taken prisoner and moved to Greven. The following day, October 11, Hal passed away from his wounds. He was 21 years old. While it's known that he died in a German hospital, it's unclear from the reports if he died at Greven or if he was moved to the German orthopedic hospital Reserve Lazaarett IX C at Obermassfeld and passed away there.
Remembered by his captain as being "a super young man", Hal Hughes was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, and the Purple Heart. He is interred at Belgium's Ardennes American Cemetery, plot D, row 12, grave 12.
Service #: O-674198
Awards: Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
~
Hal Kimber Hughes was born August 21, 1922 in Greenville, Texas. The son of Thomas Oscar Hughes and Grace Jewell Stoke Hughes, he had an older sister and brother and two younger sisters. He grew up in Dallas, where his family had moved to in 1926, and attended Woodrow Wilson Highschool. He was heavily involved in sports and participated in tennis, track, football, and baseball. Hal was also a member of his high school's Physics club and theatre group, a class vice-president, and a member of the ROTC and YMCA. He graduated in 1941 and got a job working as a routeman.
Hal enlisted in the US Army Air Force on March 19, 1942. He underwent training at Hondo, Texas and Great Falls, Montana before being sent overseas in July 1943. He served as a navigator with the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group (Heavy) based at RAF Framlingham, England.
On October 10, 1943 Lt. Hal Hughes took part in the massive daylight bombing raid on Münster, Germany. He was the navigator aboard the Boeing B17F 42-30826 "Spirit of the Union Pacific" (TN: 230826) piloted by Capt. Robert Short. The crew's usual plane (B17F 42-30332, "Short Stuff) was out of service undergoing repairs so they were assigned "Union of the Pacific" for the Münster raid.
At approximately 1 pm at around an estimated 25,000+ feet, just before turning on target over Münster, the bomber was struck by either a flak burst or by fire from a Messerschmitt BF109 piloted by Leo-Lothar Barann. The number 3 engine was hit and caught fire and the vertical stabilizer was blown apart. Attempts to control the fire proved futile and the flames quickly spread. The pilot ordered his crew to bail out as the wing buckled and the bomber began it's death spiral towards earth. Nine parachutes were spotted before the plane exploded moments later. It crashed on the Stadtbaumer Farm along Schiffahrter Damm, near Ostbrevern.
"Union of the Pacific" had flown just five missions and was one of 30 B-17s lost on "Black Sunday". The bomber was named in honor of the 65,000 Union Pacific Railroad employees who had voluntarily increased their payroll deductions in order to purchase $379,000 in war bonds in May and June of 1943.
Three of the eleven men on board would become fatalities (besides the 10 crewmembers, there was also a military photographer on the flight). The ball turret gunner did not make it out of his ball turret and went down with the plane. The circumstances behind the radio operator's death are unknown but it's likely his chute failed to open. Navigator Hal Hughes managed to safely bail out but was badly injured during his descent, with his leg being amputated by a flak burst. Just before reaching the ground he struck a roof, then hit an iron spike fence, further adding to his already serious injuries. He was taken prisoner and moved to Greven. The following day, October 11, Hal passed away from his wounds. He was 21 years old. While it's known that he died in a German hospital, it's unclear from the reports if he died at Greven or if he was moved to the German orthopedic hospital Reserve Lazaarett IX C at Obermassfeld and passed away there.
Remembered by his captain as being "a super young man", Hal Hughes was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, and the Purple Heart. He is interred at Belgium's Ardennes American Cemetery, plot D, row 12, grave 12.
Inscription
1 LT 571 BOMB SQ 390 BOMB GP (H)
TEXAS OCT 11 1943
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