Francis Goodwin Allen


Sgt    37129864    613th
illinois
1921 - 1944

Right Waist Gunner aboard 42-31374


Normandy cemetery, France
Plot : D , Row : 15 , Grave : 46.






     Francis was born Jun 25, 1921, in Joliet, Will County, Illinois.
     They later moved to Staunton, Macoupin, Illinois.

     Francis attended the Methodist Sunday School in Staunton.
     And he was an expert basketbal player in the grade school.

     Then he enlisted to the air corps.

     In 1943 he arrived in England to join the 401st BG

     On Dec 2, 1943 he married to Ruth Mitchell, a English girl from Huntingdon, England.
     At the time that francis died, she was pregnant...

     His last mission, Mar 13, 1944, Target: Gorenflos, France, after dropping bombs the plane was hit by flak.
     Ship was afire and exploded before hitting undercast.

     He was awarded with an Air Medal and a Purple Heart Medal

     In 1944, when Francis died on the age of 22 he left behind his family :

         His wife, Ruth Allen
         His daughter, Frances Allen
         His father, Crawford C. Allen, age 64
         His mother, Lillian Allen, age 53
         His brother, Crawford Allen, age 20



            

                                                                                Edwardsville Intelligencer, Apr 27, 1946






Mission to Gorenflos, France, operation " Crossbow " (Nazi rocket sites), flak hit ship and on no. 3 engine and exploded.
Chrashed near St Quen, France.



     According to the left waist gunner, Royce W Moore, Francise was standing beside
     him when the ship blew up.

     He was found near the wreckage of the plane.
     But according to a message of the International Red cross, Francis was badly wounded
     and he died in a German Prison Camp.

     On march 18, he was buried at a English World War Memorial Cemetery, Abbeville/Somme.
     Grave J-6.

     Later on he was reburied at Normandy cemetery, France, Plot : D , Row : 15 , Grave : 46



            


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