Technical Sergeant Elmer Howe Bemis

Radio Operator with the 491st Bomb Group, 853rd Bomb Squadron

Elmer Homer Bemis was born on August 16, 1924 to Perley Smith Bemis and Elizabeth Howe, in Marlborough, Massachusetts. He had two half sisters named Dorothy and Gladys and a half brother called Prentice. His younger sister Helen was born in 1925.

His paternal grandfather George owned a livery yard and was the first station master at Harrisville railway station. Perley worked for his father. His maternal grandfather Elmer Howe was a graduate of Massachusetts Agricultural College. He died on June 17, 1924.

Helen Bemis joined the United States Cadet Nurse Corps and worked at Cambridge City Hospital.

On December 16, 1942 at Providence, Rhode Island, Elmer registered for service in world war two. At the time he was working for the Rheem Manufacturing Company. He enlisted at Fort Devens on March 29, 1943. Elmer’s service number was 31261913 and he was 5’ 9” with red hair and hazel eyes.

Elmer was a radio operator on B-24 Liberators and was assigned to the 491st Bomb Group. The group were part of the second division in the European Theatre of Operations (ETO) and were based at RAF Metfield in Suffolk, known to the Americans as Station 366. The bomb group arrived May 15, 1944 and they flew their first mission on June 2, 1944 on D Day. The group nickname was The Ringmasters. In August of 1944 the 491st moved to RAF North Pickenham in Norfolk (station 143).

The group were awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for their mission to Misburg on November 26, 1944. Half of the groups bombers were destroyed. A synthetic oil refinery was the target.

Firebird, the Liberator that Elmer and the rest of his crew were aboard that day, crashed at Bredenbech near Bennignsen, which is about 20 km northwest of Hildensheim in Germany. 7 of the 9 crew members on board we killed. Both waist gunners survived.

1Lt Daniel C Budd – Pilot

2Lt Noel A Oury – Co Pilot

1Lt Norman A Hirsch – Navigator

2Lt Floyd A Walker – Nose Navigator

1Lt William F Phelps – Bombardier

T/Sgt Vernon R Brock – Flight Engineer

S/Sgt Thomas R Crane – Tail Gunner

S/Sgt Frank Verbosky – Right Waist Gunner

S/Sgt Thaddeus C Jarosz – Left Waist Gunner

MACR 10768

He was awarded an air medal on August 26, 1944. An air medal with an oak leaf cluster was awarded on December 12, 1944 posthumously.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, with Vernon Brock, Daniel Budd, Norman Hirsch and Noel Oury. Section 34. Site 3652.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35638343/elmer-howe-bemis

https://www.fold3.com/image/310763357?rec=299399799

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Elmer H Bemis