Hubert Hoffman “Hubie” Bonnet was born in 1917 in New York. He resided in Erie County, New York prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on April 13, 1942 in Buffalo, New York. He was noted as being employed as a grounds keeper with a local electric company and also as Single, without dependents. Hubert served as a Sergeant and Tail Gunner, 560th Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

Hubert was, as noted, killed in action 13 APR 1944 just 2 years to the day after he had enlisted in Buffalo. The aircraft that the crew of 2nd Lt. Arthur Nelson was assigned that day was named "Winged Fury" and they were flying a mission to Augsberg, Germany. They were in the "tail end Charlie" position and sustained 3 attacks by German fighters after they had hit the target and were heading home.

The last thing reportd by Sgt Bonnet was that they were being attacked by a ME-109 and that, in turn, a P-51 was going after the 109. There also is a notation indicating that one of these aircraft had British markings but the report is unclear as to which aircraft is being referred to as having these markings. It most likely was the P-51 that was in British colors but the alternative can't be totally dismissed out of hand.

The crew bailed out of the aircraft which had engines 3 & 4 shot out, interphone and electrical out, fire in the radio area, part of the wing gone and the nose shot off. The navigator and bombadier were wounded. S/Sgt Roger Blanchard, the radio operator, was the last out of the aircraft. As the plane was going down he went to the back to check on Sgt Bonnet. He found him very badly shot up, slumped over the guns and apparently dead. Blanchard then blacked out from oxygen starvation but later regained consiousness and was able to finally exit the plane at about 750 feet. 1944 just 2 years to the day after he had enlisted in Buffalo. The aircraft that the crew of 2nd Lt. Arthur Nelson was assigned that day was named "Winged Fury" and they were flying a mission to Augsberg, Germany. They were in the "tail end Charlie" position and sustained 3 attacks by German fighters after they had hit the target and were heading home.

Sgt Bonnet is now buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint-Avold, France. He was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov