Individual Casualty Questionnaire
World War, 1939-1945
Veterans--Florida
The individual casualty questionnaire for the Unites States Army Air Forces on March 16, 1944. The Missing Air Crew Report was organized in response to the status of the 12th Air Force, 320th Bombardment Group, 441th Bomb Squadron, which left from Decimomannu Air Force Base in Sardinia for their target in Aquina, Italy. Eight passengers were on board and seven parachutes were reported to have been opened. Some were captured by the Germans and others were unaccounted for.<br /><br />
A notable solider from the squadron was Terance Halligan (1922-1944). Born on April 3, 1922, in Northern Ireland, Halligan and his parents immigrated to the United States in the 1920s, settling in New Jersey and New York. After high school, Halligan worked as a longshoreman, loading and unloading cargo onto ships. On March 20, 1942, Halligan enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, where he served as a navigator with the 320th Bombardment Group in the 441st Bomb Squadron. He served in the North African and Mediterranean Theaters of the war as a Lieutenant. After a mission off the coast of Italy on March 16, 1944, the right engine of the aircraft that Halligan served on caught fire and those on board parachuted off. While witnesses saw Halligan land safely on shore, the group was captured by Germans and his status thereafter is unknown. On August 18, 1945, the Army officially declared him missing in action. For his actions and sacrifice, Halligan earned an Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters and a Purple Heart. The Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida placed a memorial headstone in his memory. Halligan is also memorialized on the Tablets for the Missing at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.<br /><br />
In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
United States Army Air Forces
Digital reproduction of original casualty questionnaire.
United States Army Air Forces
image/jpg
eng
Text
Sardinia, Italy
Individual Casualty Questionnaire for Staff Sergeant Thomas E. Eason and Completed by Earl D. Greenstreet
World War II, 1939-1945
Veterans--Florida
An Individual Casualty Questionnaire completed by Earl D. Greenstreet in relation to the death of Florida native Staff Sergeant Thomas E. Eason (1922-1945). According to this document, SSgt. Eason was Killed in Action (KIA) during the bailout procedure after his crew's airplane was shot. SSgt. Eason had served for over three years in the U.S. Army Air Forces' (USAAF) as a waist gunner on a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Sweet and Lovely" and "Princess Pat." SSgt. Eason completed 28 missions in both the Pacific and European Theaters of World War II. On January 20, 1945, he was killed near Altenheim, France, after his airplane was shot down by enemy combatants. Over the course of his service, SSgt. was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters.
Greenstreet, Earl D.
Digital reproduction of original <a href="https://www.fold3.com/image/46705959">1-page typewritten questionnaire</a> by Earl D. Greenstreet.
image/jpg
eng
Text
Altenheim, France
Individual Casualty Questionnaire for Staff Sergeant Thomas E. Eason
World War II, 1939-1945
Veterans--Florida
An Individual Casualty Questionnaire in relation to the death of Florida native Staff Sergeant Thomas E. Eason (1922-1945). According to this document, SSgt. Eason was Killed in Action (KIA) during the bailout procedure after his crew's airplane was shot. SSgt. Eason had served for over three years in the U.S. Army Air Forces' (USAAF) as a waist gunner on a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Sweet and Lovely" and "Princess Pat." SSgt. Eason completed 28 missions in both the Pacific and European Theaters of World War II. On January 20, 1945, he was killed near Altenheim, France, after his airplane was shot down by enemy combatants. Over the course of his service, SSgt. was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters.
Digital reproduction of original <a href="https://www.fold3.com/image/46705953">1-page handwritten questionnaire</a>.
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Altenheim, France