1st Lt US Army Air Force

Duty: pilot

Service #:   O-1285625

Unit:    458 BG  752 BS

Entered Service: 15-03-1941 Washington, Rhode Island

Hometown: Essex Junction, Chittenden County, Vermont

Born:    21 November 1920 South Kingston, Washington, Rhode Island

Died:     25 March 2003 

Buried: 

POW:   from 8 August 1944,    Stalagluft

Awards:

Married:

 

Interrogation reports Belgian Helpers:

 

Report from resistance group GENERAL SABOTAGE G

 

Translation:

 Report written by Felix Vandevenne and his wife Maria Juchtmans

MONAHAN JAMES L

USA number  01285625

Take off: 8:00 h on 20 July 1944

Landed in the vicinity of Diest on 20 July 1944

Aircraft number: B 24-H – 117

Address: WAKEFIELD RHODE ISLAND

 

After he landed with his chute, hiding Russians have handed him to Snijers Alphons of Heze, Schaffen.

There he was picked up by Felix Vandevenne (Begijnenstraat 31 Diest) and Jonckers Charel (Papenbroekstraat 2 Webbekom).with the intervention of Willy Vanblerckom (Suikerpot 2,  Diest).

Transferred to Prosper Graulus (Waanrode)

Felix Vandevenne, Charel Jonckers, José Graulus (Waanrode) en Henri Sondag (Assent Strijk) brought James to Alfons Omloop (Glabbeek)

There he was picked up by Mouton (Rijnrode, Loksbergen) who brought him to Paul Goossens (Kortenaken)

From here Paul Goossens guided James to Louis De Koninck (Geetbets)

After 4 days, he was picked up by Paul Goossens (Kortenaken)  who brought him to Prosper Graulus (Waanrode).

From here he was brought` to Alfons Omloop (Grote Steenweg Kapellen-Glabbeek)

There Joseph De Crock (Vandenbroekstraat 52, Brussels) came to look after him.

Severin Vandevenne (Begijnenstraat 31 Diest) went to James Monahan to fill out a questionnaire.

The courier Maria Claes (Statiestraat 22 Diest ... Zelem?) brought these papers to  Joseph De Crock (Vanden Broekstraat 52, Brussels)

Felix Vandevenne (Begijnenstraat 22 Diest) arranged the papers and the date that James was removed.

(From here there is no further information from his escape.)

 

German Report:

 

 

Prisoner Of War: info from 458th BG website

James L. Monahan was a First Lieutenant in the Army during World War II.

James was captured by the Nazis after he was bailed out and landed at Diest, Belgium.

James's capture was first reported to the International Committee of the Red Cross on July 20, 1944, and the last report was made on May 22, 1945.

Based on these two reports, James was imprisoned for at least 306 days (~11 months).

The average duration of imprisonment was 363 days.

Ultimately, James was returned to military control, liberated or repatriated.

 

Conclusion:

The above reports are not so clear about the capture of Monahan.

Was he captured immediatly or first helped by the underground and later on captured by the Gestapo in Brussels?

To find this out I contacted the International Red Cross.

This was their answer:

The Red Cross gives 2 different dates of capture.

Because Monahan escaped on 20 July and was helped by the resistance groep G he must be captured on 8 August 1944.

For the moment I only know he was brought to Brussels by Joseph De Crock.

It is very strange that Holcomb, Spence and Baer were also brought to Brussels on a later date and they also were captured!!!

My meaning is that, if De Crock knew that Monahan was captured (and I think so) he never took Holcomb, Spence and Baer also to Brussels.

This I have to find out...

 

Missions flown: info from 458th BG website