PFC Oscar B. Oakman: The Last Man to Die in the 94th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
(PFC Oscar B. Oakman, 4th Armored Division, U.S. Third Army)
A famous photograph in the May 14, 1945, issue of Life magazine shows a soldier killed in Leipzig, described as “the last man to die in the war in Europe.”
But there never seems to be a last man to die in a war.
There is always one more.
Oscar B. Oakman was from Amaranth, Pennsylvania, near the Maryland border. Drafted at age 29, the self-employed farmer would have been one of the older men in his unit — the “older...
Five From the 464th Bomb Group
The 15th Army Air Force, based in...Wee Willie and the photo that started it all
Above is B-17 “Wee Willie”...From Panatella to Ploesti
The 15th Army Air Force, based in...Debut for Debach
It was the very first combat mission...Six B-24s From Baker Box Downed
The men – the boys, really...The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
More than 260 UCLA students, faculty ...
PFC Oscar B. Oakman: The Last Man to Die in the 94th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
(PFC Oscar B. Oakman, 4th Armored...The 4th Armored Division: The Spearhead of Patton’s Third Army
Activated in April 1941 at Pine Camp,...Talk Radio One’s Steven Spierer Interviews WW2 Researcher Bill Beigel
Steven Spierer Talk Radio One Interview...Captain Norman L. Aigner: An Ordinary Guy
If you’ve been reading my blog with...Tomas Garza’s Daughter – “Now I Don’t Feel Empty”
Like most children of World War II...“Fresno Marine Dies in Action in Pacific War” – Fresno Bee, Oct 21, 1944
Private First Class Huston R. Fannon,...
From Panatella to Ploesti
Great blog. My late father was a bombardier based out of Panatella. His plane was Jackpine Joe. Worked Ploesti and Germany. See Jackpinejoe.comWee Willie and the photo that started it all
My father was Paul D Jessop, he spoke of your Grandfather a lot. My father passed away in 2011 .The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
Hi Bill, Thanks for putting this together. My grand uncle, 2nd Lt. Robert L. Woolfolk attended UCLA and I believe he graduated in 1936. He was on the waterpolo team. He was a bombardier in the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group and his aircraft "Decatur Deb" was shot down on May 28, 1944. He and six others perished while three were able bail out and became POWs. This is written up the in the book "Bloody Skies: U.S. Eighth Air Force Battle Damage in World War II." There is a B-17G tail gunner's compartment on display at the 390th Bomb Group Memorial Museum, which is dedicated to this crew. Regards, Nick VeronicoBill’s WW2 Almanac for January 21: Featuring Col. Randy’s Flying Circus
Hi! Randall Col Randy is actually my great grandfather and I was wandering if you ever new him? I am curious to know more about him.Women in WWII: Cornelia Clark Fort
Interesting....very hard to know the 'who hit who'.....Fort had enough flying time to be a instructor, I know nothing about the other pilot. If Pastor Jeff had information on her being talked into a situation, I would love to know if reliable. Regardless, so many losses in so many ways.... My take is the WAFS/WASPS deserve a bit more of history's 'time in the books'. Many thanks for the commentary, StarrRemembering the Fallen: WWII Veterans of UCLA, Major Robert C. Maze
Bill, Are you still working on this blog? Rosemarie is my mother in law. She passed away 10 years ago. Her (and Roberts') son Robert Maze Jr is alive and well. I was googling Admiral Radford and ended up googling links... Thank you for your efforts here. Kim Woods
Bill’s WWII Almanac
