Wilber Lamar Bronson (1912 - 1950)

Born 11 Mar 1912 in Kissimmee, Osceola, Florida, United States

Died 3 Jan 1950 at age 37 in Broward, Florida, United States

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Biography

Wilber Bronson was awarded the Air Medal.

Wilber Bronson was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal (United States).

Wilber Bronson was awarded the World War II Victory Medal.

Tech Sergeant Wilber Bronson served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II
Service started: 27 Jul 1942
Unit(s): 412th Bombardment Squadron, 95th Bombardment Group (Heavy), Eighth Air Force
Service ended: 31 Oct 1945

Tech Sergeant Wilber Bronson was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Wilber was born 11 March 1912 in Kissimmee, Florida. He was the son of William O. Bronson and Henrietta Tyner.

Wilber was the radio operator on the B-17 bomber ‘Irish Luck’, #42-31054 that was shot down by enemy fighters on a mission to Brunswick, Germany 12 February 1944. Wilber and eight other crew members were captured by the Germans and became POWs. One crew member perished. It was Wilber’s 4th mission.

He married Lucille Mary Bales in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on 5 July 1947.^[1]

He died 3 January 1950 in a car accident in Broward County, Florida.^[2][3]

• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #21799634 (accessed 9 August 2023)
  Memorial page for Wilbur Lamar “Bo” Bronson (11 Mar 1912-3 Jan 1950), citing Shingle Creek Cemetery, Kissimmee, Osceola County, Florida, USA; Maintained by janet rn (contributor 46894041).
• 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920"
  citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Line: 46; Digital film/folder number: 004964411; FHL microfilm: 1820229; Image number: 12; Sheet number: 4; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01958-9
  FamilySearch Record: MNBW-K2J (accessed 9 August 2023)
  FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9R6W-WN3
  Wilbur Bronson (6), single son, in household of W O Bronson (39) in Shingle Creek, Orange, Florida, United States. Born in Florida.
• 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
  citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T626; Line: 68; Digital film/folder number: 004950239; FHL microfilm: 2340062; Image number: 597; Sheet number: 1; Sheet letter: B; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03737-6
  FamilySearch Record: SYBD-46Z (accessed 9 August 2023)
  FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9R4K-Z6W
  William Bronson (17), single son, in household of Will O Bronson (48) in Shingle Creek, Osceola, Florida, United States. Born in Florida.
• 1935 Census: "Florida State Census, 1935"
  citing line , State Archives, Tallahassee; FHL microfilm
  FamilySearch Record: MNVR-QR9 (accessed 9 August 2023)
  FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DZR9-ZXD Image number 00243
  Wilber L Bronson (22) son in household of W Bronson (54) in Osceola, Florida, United States. Born in Florida.
• 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
  citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 77; Digital film/folder number: 005449596; Image number: 117; Sheet number: 1; Sheet letter: B
  FamilySearch Record: VTCZ-55D (accessed 9 August 2023)
  FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-G9MR-K3R8
  Wilbur Bronson (26), single son, in household of Will O Bronson (58) in Election Precinct 2 Shingle Creek, Osceola, Florida, United States. Born in Florida.
• 1945 Census: "Florida State Census, 1945"
  citing Line: 15; Digital film/folder number: 004280261; FHL microfilm: 2425201; Image number: 539; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01573-2
  FamilySearch Record: MNN4-JR4 (accessed 9 August 2023)
  FamilySearch Image: S3HY-63L3-SGS
  Wilbur L Bronson (33y) in , Osceola, Florida. Born in Florida.

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage: "Florida Marriages, 1830-1993"
   citing Marriage, Florida, United States, citing multiple County Clerks of Court, Florida; FHL microfilm 2,115,808
   FamilySearch Record: 23HW-VG1 (accessed 9 August 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GBLD-4XK Image number 03304
   Wilbur Bronson marriage to Lucille Mary Bales in 1947 in Florida, United States.
2. ↑ Death: "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998"
   citing vol. 1389, certificate number 151, Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, Jacksonville
   FamilySearch Record: VVNQ-KXM (accessed 9 August 2023)
   Wilbur Lamar Bronson death 1950 in Broward, Florida, United States.
3. ↑ W. L. Bronson To Be Buried In Kissimmee: "Newspapers.com"
   The Miami Herald (Miami, Florida) Thu, Jan 5, 1950, page 4
   Newspapers Clip: 129747564 (accessed 9 August 2023)

• Military: "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947"
  National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Florida, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 51
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2238 #12563094 (accessed 9 August 2023)
  Registration Date: 16 Oct 1940; Weight: 150; Name: Wilbur Lemar Bronson;
  Household Members (Name) Relationship:
  Wilbur Lemar Bronson Self (Head)
  Henrietta Bronson Mother; Birth Place: Kissimmee, Florida, USA; Residence Place: Kissimmee, Osceola, Florida, USA; Complexion: Light; Height: 6 1; Next of Kin: Henrietta Bronson; Registration Place: Kissimmee, Osceola, Florida, USA; Employer: Self; Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head); Hair Color: Brown; Race: White; Birth Date: 11 Mar 1913; Age: 27; Eye Color: Gray.
• Military: "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946"
  citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland
  FamilySearch Record: K8T5-XV6 (accessed 9 August 2023)
  Military Service Place: Cp Blanding, Florida, United States; Reel Box Card: 07723.194; Enlistment Year: 1942; Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men); Name: Wilbur L Bronson; Civil Occupation Orig: 317; Enlistment Year Orig: 42; Serial Number: 34244075; Education Orig: 0; Civil Occupation: Farm hands, animal and livestock; Source: Civil Life; Race: White; Branch Code Orig: 00; Marital Status: Single, without dependents; Source Orig: 0; Military Service Date: 27 Jul 1942; Birth Place: FLORIDA; Enlistment Term: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law; Grade Code Orig: 8; Major Force Of Assign: 7; Enlistment Place Orig: 4213; Branch Alpha Orig: BI; Enlistment Day: 27; Birth Date: 1912; Component Orig: 7; Enlistment Term Orig: 5; Education: Grammar school; Enlistment Place: CP BLANDING FLORIDA; Grade Code: Private; Enlistment Month: Jul; Arc Identifier: 1263923; Enlistment Month Orig: 07; Event Type: Military Service; Grade Alpha Orig: PVT; Branch Code: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA; Military Occupation: 7113.
• 6 Florida Boys Missing in Action: "Newspapers.com"
  The Tampa Times (Tampa, Florida) Sat, Mar 25, 1944, page 2
  Newspapers Clip: 92403104 (accessed 9 August 2023)
• 15 FLORIDIANS HELD AS NAZI WAR PRISONERS: "Newspapers.com"
  The Miami News (Miami, Florida) Wed, May 17, 1944, page 16
  Newspapers Clip: 129748314 (accessed 9 August 2023)
• Seven Orlando Fliers Honored At Ceremony: "Newspapers.com"
  Orlando Evening Star (Orlando, Florida) Thu, Mar 29, 1945, page 1
  Newspapers Clip: 129748589 (accessed 9 August 2023)
• Military: "U.S., World War II American and Allied Prisoners of War, 1941-1946"
  The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Provost Marshal General, 1920 - 1975; Record Group Number: 389
  Ancestry Record 8919 #99681 (accessed 9 August 2023)
  Race: White; Camp: Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16; Grade: Technical Sergeant; Name: Wilbur L Bronson; Report Date: 10 Feb 1944; Residence Place: Florida, USA; Arm or Service Code: Air Corps; Report Source: Individual has been reported through sources considered official.; Parent Unit Type: Group/Regiment/Commands/System; Status: Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated; Detaining Country: Germany; Area Served: European Theatre: Germany; Arm or Service: Air Corps; Grade Notes: Lieutenant Colonel or Asst. superintendent of nurses or Director of nurses or Technical Sergeant or Commander or Petty Officer, 1st Class; Organization Type: Bombardment, Heavy; Latest Report Date: Jun 1945.
• U. S. Veteran Headstone Application: "U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985"
  National Archives at Washington DC; Washington DC, USA; Applications for Headstones For U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941; NAID: 596118; Record Group Number: 92; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2375 #65300 (accessed 9 August 2023)
  Service Branch: US Army; Cemetery Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA; Cemetery: Shingle Creek Cemetery; Discharge Date: 31 Oct 1945; Birth Date: 11 Mar 1912; Service Number: 34244075; Enlistment Date: 12 Aug 1942; Name: Wilbur L Bronson; Unit: 412th Bombardment Squadron 95th Bombardment Group Air Corps; Death Date: 3 Jan 1950.
• American Air Museum in Britain - Wilber L Bronson
• American Air Museum in Britain - Irish Luck, #42-31054
• National Archives - Missing Air Crew Reports (MACR) - #2545