World War II Honoree

Lawrence M. Flannelly

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE PROUDLY SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES DURING WWII. HE FLEW 34 COMBAT MISSIONS IN EUROPE AS CO-PILOT ON B-17 FLYING FORTRESS BOMBERS. IN FEBRUARY 1945 HIS CREW MIRACULOUSLY ESCAPED DEATH WHEN THEIR PLANE CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED OVER ENGLAND. THEY PRIED OPEN A JAMMED ESCAPE HATCH AND PARACHUTED OUT. FLAMES SET OFF MACHINE GUN AMMO ABOARD THE PLANE AND EXPLODING BULLETS NARROWLY MISSED THEM AS THEY DESCENDED. THE BOMB-BAY DOORS ALSO OPENED AND BOMBS WERE ALSO RELEASED BARELY MISSING THEM. NEAR THE GROUND A GUST OF WIND KEPT THEM FROM FALLING INTO THE PATH OF A SPEEDING TRAIN. ONLY ONE MEMBER OF THE CREW WAS HOSPITALIZED.