Guy L. Haglund was born in 1920 and from Hennepin County, Minnesota. He enlisted in the USAAF on March 28, 1942 in Fort Snelling. He was an truck driver before he joined. He was married to Lois Haglund and lived Minneapolis.

He became a bombardier with the 392nd Bomb Group, flying out of Wendling (Army Air Force station 118). The 392nd arrived in England on 30 July 1943.

On February 24, 1944, the American 8th Air Force flew a mission against the city of Gotha. This was what was to be called "Big Week" in which the 8th Air Force attacked the German air force's capacity to fight back. Especially aircraft factories, airfields, etc. were attacked.

576th Bomb Squadron

392nd Bomb Group

This was to be the 41st mission of the 392nd since it had become operational. 2Lt Haglund was an bombardier on a B24. His crew was made up of:

Pilot 2Lt Thomas J Cox
Co-pilot 2Lt Robert J Halsworth
Navigator 1Lt Paul C Stankan
Bombardier 2LT Guy L Haglund
Radio operator T/Sgt Marvin C Martin
Engineer T/Sgt Norman L Sicard
Waist gunner SSgt Richard J Pryce
Waist gunner SSgt Martin Meshon
Tailgunner SSgt Richard H Helbing

The crew took off in B24 #42-100102 codenamed "TEXAS REFUGEES". It was the crew's 10th mission. They took off at around 08.30 from Wendling. After formation the Bomb Group flew towards occupied Holland. Four B24s aborted the mission for various reasons. 

The 392nd found itself leading the 2nd Air Division, when the leading Bomb Wing made a navigational error and took a wrong heading. The bombers encountered fierce resistance from the German Luftwaffe, more determined and larger in scale than many crews had ever experienced. For two and a half hours the bombers were attacked by 150+ German fighters of all different types. The bombers dropped their bombs at 13.21. The results were excellent. For their excellence, the 392nd was awarded an Distinguished Unit Citation for this mission.

The Distinguished Unit Citation for the 24 February 1944 mission.
(Picture courtesy of www.b-24.net)

This was to be a costly day for the 392nd. Seven aircraft were lost. Among them was 2Lt Haglund's "TEXAS REFUGEES". His airplane was seen to be attacked by German fighters, five FW190's, just before the bomb run. The radio operator, T/Sgt Marvin Martin later reported that the plane was attacked and two engines were shot out. Then the ship caught on fire. Other crews saw the bomber peeling off to the right and exploding. Four of the crew were killed in the crash: 2Lt Haglund, 1Lt Stankan, SSgt Meshon and SSgt Helbing.

The plane crashed in the outskirts of Ruhla. 2Lt Haglund's remains were found in the wreckage. His body could not be recovered until March 14, due to salvage work. He was buried the next day, March 15, at 15.00 at the St. Trinitas Cemetery in Ruhla in Thuringen. After the war he was reburied at Margraten. SSgt Helbing also rest at Margraten.

2Lt Guy Haglund is buried at Margraten American Military Cemetery, Plot D Row 2 Grave 22.

Margraten, The Netherlands

See Also:
S/Sgt Richard Helbing

2Lt Joseph Barnett
T/Sgt Josephine Payton
2Lt Charles Doyle Jr

S/Sgt Mitchell Walla

Sources:
B-24.net
Col. Robert E. Vickers Jr, Remembrance of the Missing 

Directions to Margraten American Military Cemetery

Posted 9 August 2005

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This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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