349th Sqdn.. Crew joined 100th in late Jun 1943 as one of the first
replacement crews.LT OWEN D."COWBOY" ROANE -
LEDGENDARY 100TH PILOT
ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN OF THE 100TH LONG LIST OF WELL
KNOWN AVIATORS. FOLLOWED GLEN DYE AS THE SECOND 100TH PILOT TO COMPLETE A
TOUR.
EVERY 100TH VETERAN HAS A COWBOY ROANE STORY, RANGING
FROM THE FAMOUS "DONKEY" TO ALL SORTS OF OTHERS. HE IS IMORTALIZED BY HIS
FAMOUS RADIO TRANMISSION, "COMING IN WITH A FROZEN ASS", WHETHER IT OCCURED OR NOT, PROABLY
ONLY HE KNOWS FOR SURE, IT IS A PART OF THE 100TH MYSTIQUE.
HIS FLYING SKILLS WERE GREATLY ADMIRED BY HIS CREW AND
OTHERS WHO FLEW WITH THE 100TH. LEADER OF SEVERAL DIFFICULT MISSIONS THAT INCLUDE THE 100TH TRIP TO
SCHWEINFURT ON 14 OCT 43, "BLACK THURSDAY" AND THE ATTACK ON HITLER'S
HEAVY WATER PLANT AT RJUKAN, NORWAY. IN HIS BOOK, THE STORY OF THE CENTURY, JOHN NILSSON ERRONEOUSLY
CREDITS THIS MISSION LEAD TO SAM BARR, WHILE THE INTREPID MISSISSIPIAN LED
SEVERAL OTHER 100TH MISSIONS, THIS NEAR PERFECT ONE WAS LED BY THE
"COWBOY". HIS MISSION LOG THAT FOLLOWS INCLUDES THE TOUGH TARGETS OF
REGENSBURG, BREMEN, SCHEINFURT, HAMBURG AND OTHERS.
HE IS AN EYE WITNESS TO RICHARD SYNDER'S ("THE MAN ON
THE WING") GALLANT BID TO EGRESS 42-5860, COMMANDED BY C.R. BIDDICK, ON
THE 17 AUG 43 REGENSBERG MISSION. AFTER RETIRING FROM THE USAF HE PERSUED
A SECOND CAREER IN EDUCATION,BECOMING A PROMINENT FIGURE IN HIS AREA. DR.ROANE IS THE SITTING PRESIDENT OF THE 100TH BOMB GROUP ASSOCITATION
(1991-1993) AND THUS WAS THE SPEAKER AT THE DEDICATION OF THE CURTIS LEMAY
MEMORIAL AT THORPE ABBOTTS IN JULY 1992. HE IS ALSO THE PRESENT (1993) MAYOR OF HIS HOME TOWN, VALLEY VIEW.
TEXAS.
MISSION LOG OF OWEN D. ROANE:
| DATE |
TARGET |
| 04 JUL 43
|
La PALLICE |
| 10 JUL 43 |
La BOURGET |
| 14 JUL 43 |
La BOURGET |
| 17 JUL 43 |
HAMBURG |
| 24 JUL 43 |
TRONDHEIM |
| 25 JUL 43 |
WARNEMUNDE & KIEL |
| 26 JUL 43 |
HANOVER |
| 29 JUL 43 |
WARNEMUNDE |
| 12 AUG 43 |
WESSELING |
| 15 AUG 43 |
MERVILLE & LILLE |
| 17 AUG 43 |
REGENSBURG |
| 24 AUG 43 |
BORDEAUX-MERIGNAC |
| 31 AUG 43 |
MEULAN Les MEUREAUX |
| 02 SEP 43 |
KERLIN-BASTARD |
|
03 SEP 43 |
PARIS & BEAUMONT La ROGER |
|
06 SEP 43 |
STUTTGART |
|
07 SEP 43 |
WATTEN, V-WEAPONS |
|
09 SEP 43 |
BEAUVAIS-TILLE |
|
08 OCT 43
|
BREMEN |
|
14 OCT 43 |
SCHWEINFURT (BLACK THURSDAY) |
|
18 OCT 43 |
DUREN |
|
20 OCT 43 |
DUREN |
| 03 NOV 43 |
WILHEMSHAVEN |
|
05 NOV 43 |
GILSENKIRCHEN |
|
07 NOV 43
|
DUREN |
|
11 NOV 43 |
MUNSTER |
|
14 NOV 43 |
RJUKAN, NORWAY (HEAVY WATER) |
| 26 NOV 43 |
PARIS |
| 29 FEB 44 |
BRUNSWICK |
From the 349th March 1944 Squadron Diary.
March 3:
This was the day when nine of our ships (the 349th) went out to bomb
Berlin -- the first time an actual start was made by U.S, day bombers
towards this greatest and most perilous target, it was cancelled because
of weather after the planes were loaded and primed.
CCowboy (Owen D.) Roane, who came to us in July 1943 as a
Flight Officer, left for the States today, wearing well deserved Captain's
bars. The diminutive Texan had proved in twenty-six missions (he flew one
extra in February, after completing his requisite tour of twenty-five in
November, 1943) to be one of the ablest, most calm, fearless and daring of
all our great pilots; and his personality endeared him to all of us who
came in contact with him, from KP's to Colonels. |
