LT Warren Malbrook Allender was born in Morristown, Shelby County Indiana on January 14, 1918 to Warren and Ethel Allender. He graduated from Morristown High School in the class of 36 and then attended Earlham College for 1 year, studying to be an Architect, before entering the Air Corps on January 14, 1941. He received his pilot’s commission on May 1 1943 then married Blanche Garretson on May 2, 1943.

Warren was assigned as a pilot with the 466th Bomb Group / 787th Bomb Squadron. In his B-24 Flying Fortress nicknamed “Worry Bird II” his first mission was the bombing of Berlin. His flight team received Army Achievement medals for their performance, being called “Berlin’s worst blow of the war” by Lt. Gen James L. Doolittle. They would fly 8 more missions before they were shot down over Belgium on May 9, 1944. Warren was listed as missing in action, two other members on the plane were reported officially as German POWs.

LT Warren Allender’s body was returned to the family in May of 1949. On May 20, 1949 a service at Morristown Christian Church was followed by a full military service as Warren was finally laid to rest at Forest Hill Cemetery, Shelby Co IN.

Sources

Crosses on the Courthouse Lawn, Shelby County Indiana War Casualties by Linda D. Mohr. Available at the Shelby County Public Library Genealogy and History Department.

1939 Morristown High School Yearbook. Available at the Shelby County Public Library Genealogy and History Department.

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/person/warren-malbrook-allender?page=0

Shelbyville Republican News, May 29, 1944

Shelbyville Republican News, July 5 1944

Shelbyville News, May 19, 1949

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of

volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on

Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? These stories

will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery. If you

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SBTSProject/[ddennison916 Indiana)

1LT Warren Allender