Staff Sergeant Medlin was a crew member aboard U.S. Army Air Corps B-17F Flying Fortress #42-30260, serving with the 385th Bomb Group, 548th Bomb Squadron.
While on a training flight out of Lewiston Army Airfield, the bomber experienced severe turbulence at 15,000 feet and an engine caught fire. Pilot, Lt. Roy Thompson ordered a bailout, but only one crew member escaped in time before the B-17 crashed, four miles south of West Yellowstone, Montana.
The crew killed were:
2nd Lt. Roy E Thompson , Pilot
2nd Lt. James J. Highley, Co-pilot
2nd Lt. George A Brast, Navigator
2nd Lt. Robert K Edwards, passenger
S/Sgt. Alexander G. Jurkowski, gunner
S/Sgt. Willard McCune, crewmember
S/Sgt. Donald W Rice, Radio Operator
S/Sgt. Leo E Thorn, Flight Engineer
S/Sgt. Gilbert E Underwood, Asst. Engineer
The Chattanooga Daily Times, 26 May 1943
Sgt. Medlin entered the army air corps in September, 1942. He had received training at the army air bases at Miami Beach, Fla.; Washington; Salt Lake City, Utah and was posted at Lewistown, Mont., at the time of his death. Sgt. Medlin attended school at Hardy Junior High School and had worked for the S.J. Edward Grocery Store for 18 months prior to enlisting in the service. Sgt. Medlin had two brothers in the army air corps, Staff Sgt. Gary Lee Medlin, a tail gunner somewhere overseass, and Leter Medlin, a
- Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Date of birth: 29 June 1923
- Date of death: 23 May 1943
- County: Hamilton
- Hometown: Chattanooga
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 385th Bomber Group, 548th Bomber Squadron
- Conflict: World War II
- Burial/Memorial Location: Chattanooga National Cemetery, Chattanooga, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar X, Middle Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Lawrence W. Medlin
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