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| 1st Lt. Lonnie Miers was a B-17 co-pilot in the 301st Bombardment Group. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28784925/lonnie-lincoln-miers https://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=28570 |
Lonnie Lincoln Miers, Jr. never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
Lonnie was born on May 1, 1920 in Greenville, Texas. His parents Lonnie and Carrie were born in Mississippi and Texas, respectively. His father worked as a railroad clerk and later as an assistant railroad yard master. Lonnie had one younger brother. By 1940 Lonnie had completed four years of high school, where he participated in drama and band, and was living with his parents. He went on to study mechanical engineering in college but left to serve his country.
He enlisted in the Army Air Forces in November 1941. In 1942 he married Dorothy Mechling Giffen. He became a first lieutenant in the 352nd Bombardment Squadron, 301st Bombardment Group, which was equipped with B-17 Flying Fortresses. He was trained as a co-pilot. This bomb group was activated in February 1942 and it was sent to England in August 1942. After some early missions to France it was sent to North Africa to support the Allied efforts to defeat the enemy from Morocco to Tunisia.
Lt. Miers finished 12 completed missions prior to his last mission on March 22, 1943 on B-17 42-5179, nicknamed Junior. The target that day was Palermo, Sicily. Two dozen bombers from the 301st BG were sent to bomb the dock yards there. After a successful bomb drop, the American bombers were attacked by up to 20 enemy fighters. Lt. Miers' plane was a focus of the German attack because it had been damaged by flak over the target and had lost altitude. It caught fire between the two left wing engines. One of the engines exploded and the plane's left wing broke off in mid-air. This happened while Lt. Miers and the bombardier Emmet Cook were trying unsuccessfully to open the forward escape hatch. The plane went into a violent spin and Cook blacked out, only to regain consciousness as he descended peacefully under his open parachute. Other flyers counted three to five parachutes. Lt. Miers and at least three others did not survive.
His grave is at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. I don't know what happened to his widow.
This story was written at the request and with the assistance of Lonnie's niece, Roy Miers Reece.
Last year on this date I profiled B-26 co-pilot William McOmber. You can read about William 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.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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