S/Sgt Lotus M Thornton was an Airial Gunner in the Tail-position of the B-25 Mitchell Medium Bomber's of the 321st Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Squadron. ALL of this was gathered, assembled and entered by his proud daughter, Mary Thornton Stinson.

Name: Lotus Moody THORNTON
Sex: M
Birth: 19 JUN 1922 in Kansas City "Jackson" MO
Death: 8 NOV 1985 in Kansas City "Jackson" MO
Education: United States Army Air Force WW11
Marriage 1 Bernice (NMI) PARKER b: 16 DEC 1921 in Kansas City "Jackson" MO
Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002
Name: Lotus Thornton Age: 21
Birth Date: 19 June, 1922
Marriage Date: 30 May 1942
Marriage Location: Jackson, Missouri
Marriage County: Jackson
Spouse Name: Bernice Parker
Spouse Age: 20
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Kansas City Star Nov 1985
LOTUS M. THORNTON
Lotus M. Thornton, 63, of 812 Ewing Ave., died Friday at University
Hospital. He was a lifelong Kansas City resident. Mr. Thornton was a millwright
for the Bendix Corp. for 28 years. He was an Army Air Forces Veteran of World
War II and a member of local 1329 of the Carpenters Union. He was a Baptist.
He leaves his wife Mrs. Bernice Thornton of the home; two sons, Roy G.
Thornton and Larry Ray Thornton of Kansas City; a daughter, Mrs. Mary Kay
Stinson, Parks, Ark.; two sisters, Mrs. Lola Lazzara, Pomona. Calif., and Mrs.
Lee Oppenheimer, San Francisco; and four grandchildren. Services will be at
10:30 am. Monday at the Park Lawn Chapel; burial in Memorial Park Cemetery,

Kansas City. Friends may call from 3 to 5 p.m. today at the chapel.

Research of Lotus Thornton Military records. I have his copies given him
at the time of discharge.
446th Bombardment Squadron (M) AAF
321ST BOMBARDMENT GROUP (M) AAF
APO 650 US ARMY.
11 JUNE 1945
SUBJECT: Battle Participation Awards.
TO :S/Sgt Lotus M Thornton, 3723112.
1. Pursuant to authority contained in secret letter, Headquarters
Mediterranean Theatre of Operations, United States Army, file (AG 200.6/040 P-),
subject “Battle Participation Awards:, dated 10 November 1944, you are entitled
to wear one bronze star on the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
Ribbon for participation in each of the following campaigns:
Rome-Arno
2. Pursuant to authority contained in secret letter, Headquarters
Mediterranean Theatre of Operation, United States Army, file (AG 200.6/040 P-O),
subject “Battle Participations Awards” dated 30 Dec 1944, you are entitled to
wear one bronze star on the European-AfricianMiddle Eastern Campaign Ribbon for participation in the following campaign. Southern France 3. Pursuant to authority contained in secret letter, Headquarters Mediterranean Theatre of Operation, United States Army, file (AG 200.6/040 P O), subject “Battle Participation Award”, dated 9 May 1945, you are entitled to wear one bronze star of the European-Africian-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon for participation in each of the following campaigns: North Appenines (Italy) 4. It is suggested that this letter be brought to the attention of your present Commanding Officer in order that proper entries may be made on you W.D. A.G.O. Form No. 66-1 or 24 FOR THE COMMANDING OFFICER; HIS SIGNATURE APPEARS HERE ROBERT C MALONE CAPT., AIR CORPS ADJUTANT
446th Bombardment Squadron (M) AAF
321st Bombardment Group (M) AAF
Office of the Operations Officer APO 650

20 November 1944
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT Staff Sergeant LOTUS M. THORNTON, ASN 37231112, has
completed the following combat missions as Armorer-gunner in a B-25 type
aircraft while a member of this command:
Date Target Mission Sortie Mission Total Total Number Number Time
5/14/44 RR B Castiglione, It 1 1 3:00 3:00
5/17/44 Viterbo A/D, It 2 1 1/2 2:40 5:40
5/19/44 R B San Lorenzo, It 3 2 1/2 3:05 8:45
5/25/44 RR B Todi, It 4 3 1/2 2:40 11:25
5/26/44 RR Insicia, It 5 4 1/2 2:55 14:20
5/27/44 RR B Orvieto, It 6 5 2:45 17:05
5/28/44 Zaogli Viad. It 7 6 3:05 20:10 5/29/44 RR B Viareggio, It 8 7 2:45 22:55
5/31/44 RR b Cave, It 9 7 1/2 2:55 25:50
6/01/44 R B Narni So. It 10 8 1/2 3:10 29:00
6/02/44 RD Block Subiaco, It 11 9 1/2 3:40 32:40
6/04/44 RR B Viareggio, It 12 10 2:35 35:15
6/05/44 RR B E-5882, It 13 10 1/2 2:45 38:00
6/06/44 R B Tarquinia,It 14 11 2:05 40:05
6/07/44 R B Albinia, It 15 11 2:20 42:25
6/08/44 Ammo Dump, It 16 12 3:00 45:25
6/09/44 R B Centeno, It 17 12 1/2 2:05 47:30
6/12/44 RR B Cattolica, It 18 13 1/2 3:00 50:30
6/14/44 W Viad. Borgo San Lorenzo, It 19 14 1/2 3:10 53.40
6/16/44 E. Viad. Ronta, It 20 15 1/2 3:00 56:40
6/21/44 R B Masaa, It 21 16 1/2 3:10 59:50
6/29/44 RR B Ventiglia, It 22 17 3:15 63:05
7/02/44 Ravenna, It 23 18 4:00 67:05
7/13/44 Potoon R B Ficarole, It 24 19 3:30 70:35
7/14/44 RR B Borgoforte, It 25 20 2:50 73.25
7/15/44 “ “ “ “ 26 21 3:10 76:35
7/15/44 R & RR B Ostiglia, It 27 22 3:15 79:50
7/17/44 RR Faid Bogliasco, It 28 23 4:00 83:50
7/23/44 R & RR B Ostiglia, It 29 24 3:25 87:15
7/27/44 RR B Borgoforte, It 30 25 3:25 90:40
8/11/44 Gun Pos. St. Tropex, Fr 31 26 3:10 93:50
8/14/44 Gun Pos., Camaret, Fr 32 27 3:00 96:50
8/15/44 Gun Pos., Anthear, Fr 33 27 1/2 3:00 99:50
8/15/44 R B Montfaucon 34 28 1/2 4:25 104;15
8/16/44 R B St Andeal;, Fr 35 29 1/2 4:10 198:25
8/17/44 R B Bourg St Andeal, Fr 36 30 1/2 4:30 112:55
8/19/44 Gun Pos. Toulon Harbor, Fr 37 31 2:50 115:45
8/23/44 RR B Montpelier, Fr 38 32 4:25 120:10
8/24/44 R B Lunel, FR 39 33 4:00 124:10
8/25/44 RR B Loyes, Fr 40 34 4:15 128:25
8/28/44 RR B Anse, Fr 41 35 4:45 133:10
9/05/44 RR B Polesella, It 42 36 3:50 137:00
9/09/44 Def Pos Borgo San Lorenzo, It 43 36 1/2 2:50 139:50
9/13/44 Gun Pos Mt. Oggioli, It 44 37 1/2 2:55 142:45
9/16/44 Fuel Dump, Casalecchio, It 45 38 1/2 3:25 146:10 149.10
9/17/44 Tr & Gun Con., Rimini, It 46 39 1/2 3:00 152.00
9/18/44 Gun & T/C, Rimini, It 47 40 1/2 2:50 155:35
9/22/44 RR B Plazzola, It 48 41 1/2 3:35 159:15
9/23/44 RR B Legnago, It 49 42 1/2 3:40 163:15
9/24/44 Piavi RR b., It 50 43 1/2 4:00 166:45
9/26/44 Nickeling, Fusignano, It 51 44 1/2 3:30 170:15
9/30/44 RR Piazenza, It 52 45 1/2 3:30 173:50
10/1/44 Store Depot Area,Piacenza It 53 46 1/2 3:25 177:30
10/3/44 R B Galliate, It 54 47 1/2 3:50 180:10
10/4/44 RR B Pontetidone, It 55 48 2:20 183:20
10/11/44 R & RR b Po/Torreboretti, It 56 49 3:10 186:35
10/12/44 Fuel Dump, Casalecchio, It 57 50 3:15 189:45
10/13/44 Fuel Dump, Casalechio, It 58 51 3:10 193:05
10/15/44 Fuel Dump, Monten, It 59 52 3:20 196:40
10/18/44 RR B Galliate, It 60 53 3:35 200:05
10/20/44 R B Galliate, It 61 54 3:25 204:05
11/05/44 RR B Sacile, It 62 55 4:00 207:20
11/06/44 Transformer Sta, Ala, It 63 56 3:15 211:40
11/07/44 RR B Motta Di Livenna, It 64 57 4:20 214:45
11/09/44 Troop Con., Ferli, It. 65 58 3:05 217:50

For the Squadron Commander:
Owen V. Dwyer
1st Lt., A.C.
Asst Operations Officer

This information was taken off Lotus original records that he kept.

Listed below is part of Lotus M Thornton’s
“Military record” AWARD AUTHORITY AWARDED REC’D
Air Medal GO # 123X11 A Force 7 Aug 1944 22 Aug 1944
1st OLC GO # 145X11 A Force 27 Aug 1944 23 Oct 1944
2nd OLC GO # 153X11 A Force 3 Sep 1944 23 Oct 1944
3rd OLC GO # 191X11 A Force 11 Oct 1944 11 Nov 1944
4th OLC GO #203X11 A Force 21 Oct 1944 11 Nov 1944
EAME Ribbon WD Cir 1943 31 Jul 1944
A/C Lem (?) Badge AAF RE 35-30
Good Conduct GO # 23-521 Bomb Gp 4 Jul 1944 31 Oct 1944
Italian Ltr Natousa 1-10-1944 31 Jul 1944 (Temporary)
Dist Unit Badge GO #95X11 A Force 16 July 1944 30 Sep 1944
(To be worn ONLY while assigned to 321 Bomb Gp (M) AAF -APO 650)
This is to certify subject soldier is authorized to wear permantly, unless
otherwise indicated the awards and Decorations listed herein “Robert C Malone
this was his signature. Robert C. Malone Capt AC, Adjutant 446th Bomb Squad
(M) 321st Bomb Group (M) AAF APO 650 NY NY 21 Nov 1944

**
CITATION for AIR MEDAL
Lotus M Thornton , Sergeant Air Corps
321st Bombardment Group ( M )
Citation; For meritorious achievement while participating in Aerial flight as a
gunner of a B-25 type aircraft during an attack upon enemy military installations
at Port Ferraio, Italy on 15 May 1944. Sgt Thornton’s proficiency in
combat reflects great credit upon himself and the Military Services of the United
States. SIGNED BY JOHN K CANNON, MAJOR GENERAL USA, COMMANDING
GO NO 123, 7 AUG 1944