Ahrens, Gene, Francis

Rank and Name, Second Lieutenant Gene Francis Ahrens.

Unit/placed in, 731st Bomber Squadron, 452nd Bomber Group (Heavy).

Gene was born approx. on Nov. 6, 1922 in Ohio.

Father, Frank H. Ahrens.

Mother, Hattie (Steinbaugh) Ahrens.

Brother, Charles F. Ahrens.

Gene entered the service from Toledo, Ohio in Jan, 22, 1943 with service number # 3554321.

Gene F. Ahrens rank/duty was a Second Lieutenant (Navigator) in the731st Bomber Squadron .

Gene’s crewmembers and their position onboard the plane a B-17 were;

1st Lt. David L. Owens Pilot

F/O. James I. Smouse Co pilot

2nd Lt. Gene F. Ahrens Navigator

T/Sgt. John B. Kennedy Bombardier

S/Sgt. Donald V. Phelps Engineer/Top Turret Gunner

T/Sgt. Frank A. Rudinsky Ball Turret Gunner

S/Sgt. William D. Aufenroth Right Waist Gunner

S/Sgt. Marion F.Rodgers Left waist Gunner

Gene was KIA at Stadthagen , Germany when a ME-109 crashed into the Plane, on April 7, 1945, and he is honored with a Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

Gene is mentioned/buried at Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial

Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liège, Liège, Belgium.

Thanks to https://8thafhs.org/bomber/452bg.htm

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com and ww2-europe.com.

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

National Historian