 |
| Lt. Victor Kramer was a B-24 navigator in the 487th Bombardment Group. An only child, he is buried with his parents. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81604889/victor-s-kramer |
Victor Kramer never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on January 12, 1918 in New York. His father Victor was also born in New York and his mother Frances were born Hungary. His father worked as a private chauffeur. Victor was an only child. By 1940 Victor had graduated from New York University. He worked as a math teacher and coached football at New York Military Academy.
He enlisted in the Army Air Forces on August 18, 1942. That same year he was engaged to be married, but no marriage date was set. By December 1943 he was a second lieutenant and B-24 navigator, putting his math acumen to good use. He was assigned to the 838th Bombardment Squadron, 487th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force. It was sent to England in April 1944.
On May 11, 1944 Lt. Kramer was the navigator in the B-24 Lazy Lady on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards in Chaumont, France. It was his fifth and final mission. The bombers took a wrong track and flew over a German airfield and flak hit Kramer's plane, killing all but one airman.
The survivor, Harold E. Owens, wrote this:
"At approximately 1145 we were hit by flak in the nose, which resulted in the death of Lt Victor Kramer, navigator, Sgt Paul Churm, top turret gunner, and S/Sgt Eugene McKee, radio operator. The plane immediately burst into flames, we were flying at an altitude of approximately 11,000 feet, a few seconds later the plane started into a dive, and exploded in mid air, with the result that I was blown clear of the plane. I managed to pull my ripcord and landed eight miles north of Chateaudun, France. I made a safe landing and at a distance of one quarter of a mile. I saw the plane completely wrecked and on fire. I was the only member of the crew who parachuted to safety. I did not go near the plane because I knew the bombs had not exploded. I hid in the woods and about five minutes later the bombs exploded."
His grave is at St John Cemetery in Middle Village, New York.
A memorial plaque was dedicated to the Lazy Lady crew at Varize, Eure-et-Loire, Centre, France on May 9, 2015.
 |
| https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81604889/victor-s-kramer |
Last year on this date I profiled Henry Bobek, an army muleskinner. You can read about Henry here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Join the public Facebook group WW2 Fallen 100
No comments:
Post a Comment