World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Howard L. Croner
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Estherville, Iowa
Honored By
Carol Wilcox
STAFF SERGEANT, SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS AS A B-17 ENGINEER WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE, 452ND BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 728TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, 45TH COMBAT WING. STATIONED AT DEOPHAM GREEN AIRFIELD, NORFOLK, ENGLAND. MEMBER OF RICHARD J. FORMAN CREW. ON JUNE 22, 1944, HIS PLANE LANDED AT THE AIR BASE IN POLTAVA, RUSSIA, FOR REFUELING. IT WAS LOST DUE TO GERMAN LUFTWAFFE AIRPLANES ATTACKING AND DESTROYING MOST OF THE B-17 AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND. HIS CREW WAS ABLE TO GET BACK TO ENGLAND AROUND JULY 6 AND RETURNED TO FLYING THEIR REGULAR MISSIONS.