Loydell Malone was born on May 17, 1923 in Fort Wayne Indiana. He was the son of Forrest Donald and Ruth Larue (Jackson) Malone.

This is a four generation photo likely taken in 1924 or 1925. Dora Smith Jackson is holding Loydell seated on the left and her mother Oella Denney Smith seated on the right. Ruth Jackson Malone Emerick is standing behind. In the 1930 Federal Census, a six year old Loydell is found living with his mother Ruth and stepfather, Ralph Emerick in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In the 1940 Federal Census, Loydell is found at the home of his Grandparents, Wm and Dora Jackson with his mother, Ruth and his brother, Walter and sister, Marlene. His mother, Ruth, works for a wholesale baking company. Ruth is divorced from her second husband, Ralph Emerick. In the census, Loydell states that was employed.

On June 30, 1942, Loydell Malone registered for the WWII draft. In his draft registration he further states that his employer is Vries Tulling Machine in Fort Wayne. He was nineteen years old and living at the home of his mother, Ruth Emerick at 611 West Dewalt Street in Fort Wayne. Five months later on November 27, 1942, Loydell enlisted at Camp Perry in Lacarne, Ohio into the Army Air Corps.

According to official declassified documents found on Fold3.com, Sergeant Loydell was a member of a ten man crew who departed AAF Station # 139 (London) on a bombing run whose destination was Berlin on March 4, 1944. Their mission was to bomb German factories near Berlin. He was deployed with the 100^th Bomb Group AAF, 350th Bomb Squad. Sergeant Loydell was the Left Wing Gunner. The aircraft was hit by a 20 MM shell at 1320 hours enroute to Berlin. The tail of the aircraft was badly damaged, according to the official report. All of the crew members bailed out except Sergeant Leming Hull. He was the tail gunner and was believed to have been injured or dead from the strike of the shell. The plane exploded and burned before impact. The parachuting crew landed near the village of Ahrweiler, Germany. All were captured within a two days. They were take to StaLag LUFT#6 in Heydekrug, East Prussia and StaLag LUFT #4 in Kiefheide, Germany and held prisoner. In early February 1945, all the prisoners from StaLag LUFT #4 were forced to march until April 26, 1945 when they were liberated by the US 1^st Army in Bitterfield, Germany.

After his return to Indiana, at the age of twenty- three, Loydell married Laura Geneva Kiser in Fort Wayne. They had three children two sons and a daughter.

Seventeen years ago today, Loydell Malone died in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is buried in Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne.

Rest in peace Loydell and thank you for your service. We owe you a debt of gratitude.

Love, Jan

Loydell is my second cousin once removed. I remember my Grandfather talking about his cousins, Ruth Jackson and her son, Loydell Malone and Oscar Jackson, Ruth’s brother, all of whom were from Fort Wayne. He admired them fondly.

Today’s blog is a perfect example of why do these blogs. I knew nothing of Loydell’s story until I began my research today. Thanks to Fold3.com, there was a large file of unclassified military document that described this event in detail.