Barton Warren Owens was born on 2 August 1922 in Stanfill, Campbell County, Tennessee. Son of George Sherman Owens and Nellie Mae Smith of Elk Valley, Tennessee
373rd Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, 14th Air Force
Memorialized at Manila American Cemetery, the Philippines
On 18 April 1944 Aircraft B-24DR, Serial number 42-40622, departed from the base at Kweilin, China on a sea sweep mission. Japanese radio reported a heavy bomber shot down near Hong Kong the same day.
The plane was afire and ditched in the Pearl River, Hong Kong, China. It is believed that Barton Owens did not get out of the plane when it ditched.
Crew members
Pilot, 2nd Lt Glenn A. McConnell
Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt Samuel Auslander
Navigator 1st Lt Robert Carney
Bombardier, 1st Lt Robert E. Moessner
Radio Operator T/Sgt Robert Berman
Engineer T/Sgt Peter S. Maholick
Assistant Engineer S/Sgt Barton W. Owens
Assistant Radio Operator Sgt Tony Spadafora
Gunner S/Sgt Carl W. Holley
Gunner S/Sgt John K. Orovecz
Of the 12 crewmembers only the Pilot and Assistant Radio Operator survived.
Group photo L to R:
2nd Lt. Glenn A McConnell, Pilot, from Hollywood CA, POW
T/Sgt. Peter S Maholick, Flight Engineer, from Summit Hill PA, KIA
Sgt. Tony M Spadafora, Asst Radio Operator, from Helper/Green River UT, POW
S/Sgt. John K Orovecz, Tail Gunner, from Salt Lake City UT, KIA
S/Sgt. Barton W Owens, Asst Flight Engineer, from Elk Valley TN, MIA-KIA
2nd Lt. Samuel Auslander, CoPilot, from Bronx NY, KIA
T/Sgt. Robert Berman, Radio Operator, from Brooklyn NY, MIA-KIA
S/Sgt. Carl W Holley, Armorer/Gunner, from Hammond LA, MIA-KIA
1st Lt. Robert E Moessner, Bombardier, from Buffalo NY, MIA-KIA
1st Lt. Robert Carney, Navigator, MIA-KIA
Not Pictured:
2nd Lt John V Mroz, Radar Officer, from Salem MA, MIA-KIA
SSgt Erwin H Posner, Radar Operator, from Oceanside CA, MIA-KIA
- Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Date of birth: 2 August 1922
- Date of death: 18 April 1944
- County: Campbell
- Hometown: Elk Valley
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 373rd Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Air Medal, Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
- Location In Memorial: Pillar VII, Top Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Barton W. Owens
Image Gallery
Click a thumbnail below to view at full size.
