Sgt Joe W. Rowlison
305 AAF Bomb Group
July 21, 1920 - Aug. 12, 1943
Joe W. Rowlison, was killed in action during World War II. A member of the 305th Army Air Force Bomb Group, his plane was shot down over Germany. He enlisted Aug 14, 1942 and died Aug 12, 1943. He was 23 years of age.
(The following information is from the findagrave website.) Joe Wayne Rowlison, Son of Arthur Blain and Elsie E Brown of Ingalls, Gray, Kansas, USA. Joe was served with the USAAF in WWII and lost his life when his plane, B17F 42-29553 “Arkie II” 305th Bomber Group crashed near Mönchengladbach, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany……..being hit by flak and dropping out of formation. It was immediately attacked by 5 or 6 fighters. The plane was seen going down on fire with at least three parachutes seen. Although three parachutes were seen, only Staff Sergeants Fullerton and Chalker were taken prisoner, all others were killed either in the plane or when the plane crashed near Monchen-Gladbach, Germany.
NARA War Department records list this soldiers Home of Record as Gray County, Kansas…Killed In Action…Waist Gunner on B-17F-60-BO #42-29553 “Arky”-“Missy G”…shot down by flak and enemy aircraft and crashed near Munchen-Gladbach, Germany.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AAF 305th Bomb Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), known as the “Can Do” Group, was a distinguished unit of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Activated on March 1, 1942, the group trained with B-17 Flying Fortresses before deploying to England between August and October 1942, where it was assigned to the Eighth Air Force.
Initially stationed at RAF Grafton Underwood, the 305th relocated to RAF Chelveston in December 1942, remaining there for the duration of the war. Under the command of Colonel Curtis LeMay, the group pioneered strategic daylight bombing techniques and formations that became standard for the Eighth Air Force.
The 305th Bomb Group participated in several significant missions:
First Raid Over Germany: On January 27, 1943, the group was part of the Eighth Air Force’s inaugural bombing mission over Germany, targeting the naval yards at Wilhelmshaven.
Second Schweinfurt Mission: On October 14, 1943, during a mission against ball-bearing factories in Schweinfurt, the group sustained heavy losses, with 13 aircraft missing in action—the highest of any bomb group on that mission.
Distinguished Unit Citations: The group received two Distinguished Unit Citations: one for a precision bombing mission over Paris on April 4, 1943, despite severe enemy resistance, and another for withstanding intense opposition during a mission targeting aircraft factories in central Germany on January 11, 1944.
Throughout its service, the 305th flew 337 combat missions, comprising 9,321 sorties, and dropped 22,363 tons of bombs. The group lost 154 aircraft in action, with 13 of those losses occurring during the “Second Schweinfurt” mission.
After the war, the 305th participated in Project “Casey Jones,” conducting photo-mapping flights over Europe and North Africa from St. Trond, Belgium, in July 1945. The group was inactivated on December 25, 1946.
A memorial dedicated to the 305th Bomb Group stands in the village of Chelveston, Northamptonshire, England, commemorating the group’s significant contributions and sacrifices during World War II.