Person Page 8

Living and Minnie Lee Showalter were married.

John Joseph Molloy was born on 27 January 1915 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts. He and Doris Loeffler were married on 30 November 1940 in Binghamton, Broome, New York. He died on 13 August 1982 at age 67 in Tucson, Arizona. He was buried in Tucson, Arizona.

Graduated from South High in 1931 with his sister Mary. Was able to skip one year of school. Was best man for Walter and Mary's wedding. Robert Molloy was his best man when he got married. Married by Fr. Stedler, a Jesuit from Holy Cross.
Announced their engagement the day after Walter & Mary got married.

Gracie Myrtle Showalter was born on 16 April 1888. Living and she were married. She died on 4 May 1955 at age 67.

Living and Gracie Myrtle Showalter were married.

George Turner Showalter was born on 24 July 1890. He and Bessie Jane Abshire were married on 16 December 1913. He died on 2 February 1953 at age 62.

Minnie Josephine Abshire was born on 24 September 1895. Living and she were married on 10 September 1918. She died on 2 November 1960 at age 65.

Ollie Pearl Showalter was born on 5 November 1892. Living and she were married.

Living and Ollie Pearl Showalter were married.

Lillie Belle Showalter was born on 19 November 1894. Living and she were married.

Alice Mabel Showalter was born on 31 August 1898. Living and she were married.

Capt. Robert James Molloy was born on 26 August 1920 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts. He died on 25 February 1944 at age 23 in Near Furth, Bavaria, Germany. He was buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium.

Enlisted in the Army 29 April 1942, Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Serial #11056947

Service # O-797044
353rd Bomber Squadron, 301st Bomber Group (Heavy)
Buried at Plot C Row 32 Grave1

Killed in action 25 Feb 1944

Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters
Purple Heart

V-Mail dated 5 Oct 1943:
Lt. Robert J. Molloy 0797044 353 Bomb Sqdn. - 301 Bomb Gp. (H)
A.P.O. 520, c /o Postmaster N.Y. N.Y.
Lt. Paul F. Molloy 68 Station Comp. Sqdn. Army Air Field
Wattersboro, South Carolina

Hi Paul,
I just decided to use up a little spare time and
drop you a line. I'm wondering if you still are in the same
place. You do move around so much. We just returned from a
raid and I'm pretty tired. Sweating out supper now. Where you
are you're just going to dinner. I wish I were there or
anywhere near. I hope the war doesn't last much longer. Did I
tell you that Charlie Derby got killed in Sicily? Mac McCarthy
(whom I saw one day last month) saw Charlie take four enlisted
men & go after a machine gun emplacement which was holding
things up. Charlie got the machine guns but they got him and
his men too. Pretty tough. Hard to realize that one of the gang
is gone. So long -
Love Robert

From the USAAF Chronology:
TUESDAY, 5 OCTOBER 1943 ... MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
(Twelfth Air Force):In Italy, XII Bomber Command B-17's hit the Bologna marshalling yard...

FRIDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1944 ... MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF
OPERATIONS (MTO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Continuing
coordinated attacks with the Eighth Air Force on European
targets, B-17s with fighter escorts pound Regensburg aircraft
factory; enemy fighter opposition is heavy. Other B-17s hit the
air depot at Klagenfurt, Austria and the dock area at Pola,
Italy. B-24s attack Fiume, Italy marshalling yard and port and
hit Zell-am- See, Austria railroad and Graz airfield and the
port area at Zara, Yugoslavia; 30+ US aircraft are lost; they
claim 90+ fighters shot down.

Attended Elm Hill and Packahog elementary school.

Attended St. Peter's grades 7-10. Went to South High for grades 11 & 12, and graduated 1939. Attended WPI but transferred because of low grades. Attended Holy Cross College, was a drum major. Entered military in June, 1942, went to Navigator School in Coral Gables, Florida. Commissioned in January, 1943. Came home before going overseas. Went overseas in March, 1943. Stationed in Africa and Italy with 15th Army Air Force. Killed on 50th or 51st mission over Germany.

Email received 12/1/2004:

Hello Mr. Molloy,
I am from Landshut, Germany, and I am researching plane crashes in the district of Landshut. On 25.02.44 a B-17G of the 353rd Squadron, 301st Bomb Group crashed near Furth, north of Landshut. Captain Robert J. Molloy was the Navigator of this plane. He bailed out, but his chute entangled with the bomb bay doors and he went down with the plane. He was buried at a cemetery near the crash site, but after the war he was brought to Neupre, Belgium, where he is buried today. I think he was very experienced, because he flew about 45 missions.
Perhaps you are related to Capt. Molloy or you know someone who is related to him, because I would like to get information about him and his military service.

Thank you in advance.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Daniel Studener Enlisted in the Army 29 April 1942, Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Serial #11056947

Service # O-797044
353rd Bomber Squadron, 301st Bomber Group (Heavy)
Buried at Plot C Row 32 Grave1

Killed in action 25 Feb 1944

Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters
Purple Heart

V-Mail dated 5 Oct 1943:
Lt. Robert J. Molloy 0797044 353 Bomb Sqdn. - 301 Bomb Gp. (H)
A.P.O. 520, c /o Postmaster N.Y. N.Y.
Lt. Paul F. Molloy 68 Station Comp. Sqdn. Army Air Field
Wattersboro, South Carolina

Hi Paul,
I just decided to use up a little spare time and
drop you a line. I'm wondering if you still are in the same
place. You do move around so much. We just returned from a
raid and I'm pretty tired. Sweating out supper now. Where you
are you're just going to dinner. I wish I were there or
anywhere near. I hope the war doesn't last much longer. Did I
tell you that Charlie Derby got killed in Sicily? Mac McCarthy
(whom I saw one day last month) saw Charlie take four enlisted
men & go after a machine gun emplacement which was holding
things up. Charlie got the machine guns but they got him and
his men too. Pretty tough. Hard to realize that one of the gang
is gone. So long -
Love Robert

From the USAAF Chronology:
TUESDAY, 5 OCTOBER 1943 ... MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
(Twelfth Air Force):In Italy, XII Bomber Command B-17's hit the Bologna marshalling yard...

FRIDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1944 ... MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF
OPERATIONS (MTO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Continuing
coordinated attacks with the Eighth Air Force on European
targets, B-17s with fighter escorts pound Regensburg aircraft
factory; enemy fighter opposition is heavy. Other B-17s hit the
air depot at Klagenfurt, Austria and the dock area at Pola,
Italy. B-24s attack Fiume, Italy marshalling yard and port and
hit Zell-am- See, Austria railroad and Graz airfield and the
port area at Zara, Yugoslavia; 30+ US aircraft are lost; they
claim 90+ fighters shot down.

Attended Elm Hill and Packahog elementary school.

Attended St. Peter's grades 7-10. Went to South High for grades 11 & 12, and graduated 1939. Attended WPI but transferred because of low grades. Attended Holy Cross College, was a drum major. Entered military in June, 1942, went to Navigator School in Coral Gables, Florida. Commissioned in January, 1943. Came home before going overseas. Went overseas in March, 1943. Stationed in Africa and Italy with 15th Army Air Force. Killed on 50th or 51st mission over Germany.

Email received 12/1/2004:

Hello Mr. Molloy,
I am from Landshut, Germany, and I am researching plane crashes in the district of Landshut. On 25.02.44 a B-17G of the 353rd Squadron, 301st Bomb Group crashed near Furth, north of Landshut. Captain Robert J. Molloy was the Navigator of this plane. He bailed out, but his chute entangled with the bomb bay doors and he went down with the plane. He was buried at a cemetery near the crash site, but after the war he was brought to Neupre, Belgium, where he is buried today. I think he was very experienced, because he flew about 45 missions.
Perhaps you are related to Capt. Molloy or you know someone who is related to him, because I would like to get information about him and his military service.

Thank you in advance.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Daniel Studener. Capt. Robert James Molloy was a B-17 Navigator.

Susan Abshire was born about 1853 in Franklin, Virginia. She died about 1854 in Franklin, Virginia.

Sabrina Ann Abshire was born on 9 November 1855 in Franklin, Virginia. She died on 17 December 1920 at age 65 in Arno, Wise, Virginia.

Birth date calculated from the 1870 census.

John P. Abshire was born on 10 September 1852. He died on 12 July 1854 at age 1 in Franklin, Virginia.

James O. Long was born on 29 May 1852 in Madison, Kentucky. He and Mary Madeline Abshire were married on 10 October 1877 in Madison, Kentucky.

Nora S. Long was born on 23 October 1878. She died on 4 December 1884 at age 6 in Kentucky.

John Gault Long was born on 28 October 1887 in Kentucky. He died on 27 June 1957 at age 69 in Richmond, Madison, Kentucky.¹

1900 Census
Kirksville, Madison, Kentucky
Boarder in the home of Rufus Blakeman.

Claude Reeves was born before 1889. He died before 1889.

William Morgan Becraft and Wauda Deleon Reeves were married about 1913 in Dayton, Ohio. He died on 1 April 1926 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio.