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Staff Sergeant Wayne Carlyle Thulin

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  • Unit: 305th Bomber Group (Heavy), 365th Bomber Squadron
  • Service Number: 17029278
  • Date of Birth: April 24, 1916
  • Entered the Military: July 18, 1941
  • Date of Death: December 20, 1943
  • Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Place of Death: Germany
  • Award(s): Air Medal, Purple Heart
  • Cemetery: Plot A, Row 23, Grave 13. Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium
Contributed by Ms. Megan Steahr
West Burlington Junior/Senior High School (West Burlington, Iowa)
2024/2025

Early Life

Wayne C. Thulin was born in Decorah, Iowa, on April 24, 1916. His parents were Carl and Mable Thulin. He was an only child. At some point during his childhood, the family moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His father, Carl, worked for the railroad. Wayne never married.

Military service ran in the family as his father, Carl, served in World War I.

Varied Interests

Wayne had a knack for handwriting at a young age. While attending McKinley Junior High School, he received a penmanship award. Wayne also had a flair for theatrics, as he participated in various programs and plays for the Rebekah Lodge. Along with theater, he was also an athlete. Wayne played baseball and was the manager for the Cedar Rapids Pirates.

Before he enlisted, Wayne held a few different jobs, possibly trying to figure out what he wanted to do before the military called. He served as a salesman (1938), elevator operator at the Roosevelt Hotel (1936), and drove a truck for an oil company.

Penmanship Awards printed in the Cedar Rapids Gazette from McKinley Jr. High School. Cedar Rapids Gazette, March 8, 1930.
Re-enlistment card for Carl Thulin, father of Wayne Thulin, to fight in World War II. National Archives and Records Administration.
Wayne served as the manager for the Cedar Rapids Pirates. Cedar Rapids Gazette, May 13, 1936.

Homefront

Wayne grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the home to what is now known as Quaker Oats, the world’s largest cereal factory. It also has various cultural attractions, including the Czech Village and the National Czech and Slovak Museum. 

The Cedar Rapids area played a major role in manufacturing during the war. While Wayne and many other men from the area were off serving in the military, Cedar Rapids supported these men and greatly contributed to the war effort at home.

Awards of Excellence

Many companies in Cedar Rapids received the Army-Navy Excellence in Production (“E”) Award. This award was given to companies for excellence in the production of products during the war. One of the companies was the Collins Radio Company. They supplied naval air communication equipment. Other companies included Quaker Oats, Laplant-Choate Manufacturing, Century Engineering Company, and Universal Engineering Corporation. These awards served as a great sense of pride to the community, as congratulations from all over the state were printed in the Cedar Rapids Gazette for each company that received the award.

Taking Care of the Troops

The Iowa Manufacturing Company helped create roads and landing strips for the military by sending crushers and pavers overseas. These would have been vital to overseas military operations. Their work overseas helped the company build its global product sales.

Quaker Oats

Quaker Oats, formerly the National Oats Company, was presented with the Army-Navy “E” Award for producing food products during the war. Quaker Oats also showed their appreciation and support for men from their factory who went off to war by printing their names on paper and thanking them for their service. Gestures like this show the honor given to men serving their country at the time.

Quaker Oats printed the names of the 270 men fighting in the war. Cedar Rapids Gazette, June 18, 1943.
Collins Radio Company received its Army-Navy “E” Award renewed four times during the war. Cedar Rapids Gazette, July 25, 1944.

Military Experience

Wayne Thulin enlisted in the U.S. Army on July 18, 1941, at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces as part of the 365th Bomber Squadron, 305th Bomber Group. They were stationed at Station 105 in Chelveston, England. The nickname of the 305th Bomber Group was “Can Do.”  Thulin was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. 

Thulin held the job of waist gunner. The job of a waist gunner was to defend the aircraft against the enemy. There were two waist gunners on a B-17 aircraft. They had to be placed near the windows and directly across each other. Waist gunners would also help check the aircraft for damage and repairs if necessary. 

On a Mission

The first mission of the 305th Bomber Group was on November 17, 1942. It is unclear if Thulin was part of the crew yet, but their mission was to serve as a diversion for other bombing groups in the U-boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. They also served in the first raid over Germany, where they began targeting the naval yards in January 1943.

The 305th Bomber Group was a part of the famous Second Schweinfurt or Black Thursday. The goal of this mission was to weaken Germany’s infrastructure and lessen their ability to support the Nazi war effort. They also hoped to establish air supremacy to help with future ground offenses. During the mission, they did not have complete protection, which caused a significant loss of life and aircraft. That day, 13 aircraft from the 305th Bomber Group went missing in action.

Throughout its tour of duty, the 305th Bomber Group flew 337 missions in 9,321 sorties and dropped 22,363 tons of bombs. They created formations and bombing procedures that became standard for the Air Force. During their missions, 154 of their aircraft went missing in action. Thulin was one of the unfortunate soldiers whose plane never returned home.

Wayne Thulin served as a waist gunner on this B-17 Bomber (serial number 42-3412). American Air Museum in Britain (FRE 10474).

Commemoration

Wayne Thulin was shot down over Germany in a B-17 aircraft, #42-3412. Wayne and his crew were listed as missing in action on December 20, 1943. Back home in Cedar Rapids, they printed his missing in action information in the local newspaper and were hopeful he would come home. 

Thulin was awarded an Air Medal and Purple Heart. The 305th Bomber Group unit received two distinguished unit awards, and a memorial was built in their honor in Chelveston, England. 

Wayne Thulin is buried at the Ardennes American Cemetery in Neupré, Belgium.

A letter dated February 17, 1947, informed Wayne’s parents of his official date of death, which was different from what they had initially reported. Iowa World War II Bonus Case Files.
Wayne Thulin’s grave at Ardennes American Cemetery in Neupré, Belgium. American Battle Monuments Commission.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

A 305th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-3412_ flies about and ahead of a formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses . . . Photograph. Roger Freeman Collection, Imperial War Museum. https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/media/media-458148jpg.

Carl Walter Thulin. U.S., WWII Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946. https://www.ancestryclassroom.com/.

Carl Walter Thulin. World War I Draft Registration Card, 1917-1918. Digital images. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

Carl Walter Thulin. World War II Draft Registration Card, 1942. Digital images. https://ancestryclassroom.com. 

“Christmas Program Following Rebakah Meeting.” The Gazette [Cedar Rapids, IA], December 31, 1933. https://cedarrapids.historyarchives.online/viewer?k=wayne%20c%20thulin&i=f&d=01011824-02011944&m=between&ord=k1&fn=cedar_rapids_gazette_usa_iowa_cedar_rapids_19331231_english_7&df=1&dt=10.

“City Briefs.” The Gazette and Republican [Cedar Rapids, IA], March 26, 1942. https://cedarrapids.historyarchives.online/viewer?k=wayne%20c%20thulin&i=f&d=01011824-02011944&m=between&ord=k1&fn=cedar_rapids_gazette_usa_iowa_cedar_rapids_19420326_english_8&df=1&dt=10. 

Iowa. Linn County. 1930 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestryclassroom.com.

Limback Lumber Co. Advertisement. The Gazette [Cedar Rapids, IA], June 18, 1943. https://cedarrapids.historyarchives.online/.

“McCOYS Cedar Rapids City Directory.” Cedar Rapids Directories and Phone Books [Cedar Rapids, IA], January 1, 1936. https://cedarrapids.historyarchives.online/viewer?k=wayne%20c%20thulin&i=f&d=01011824-02011944&m=between&ord=k1&fn=directories_usa_iowa_cedar_rapids_19360101_english_443&df=1&dt=10.

“Penmanship Awards Made at McKinley.” The Gazette and Republican [Cedar Rapids, IA], March 8, 1930. https://cedarrapids.historyarchives.online/viewer?k=wayne%20c%20thulin&i=f&d=01011824-02011944&m=between&ord=k1&fn=evening_gazette_and_republican_usa_iowa_cedar_rapids_19300308_english_12&df=11&dt=19.

“Pirates to Practice Wednesday at Riverside.” The Gazette [Cedar Rapids, IA], May 13, 1936. https://cedarrapids.historyarchives.online/viewer?k=wayne%20c%20thulin&i=f&d=01011824-02011944&m=between&ord=k1&fn=cedar_rapids_gazette_usa_iowa_cedar_rapids_19360513_english_13&df=11&dt=19.

“Polks Cedar Rapids City Directory.” Cedar Rapids Directories and Phone Books [Cedar Rapids, IA], January 1, 1938. https://cedarrapids.historyarchives.online/viewer?k=wayne%20c%20thulin&i=f&d=01011824-02011944&m=between&ord=k1&fn=directories_usa_iowa_cedar_rapids_19380101_english_444&df=1&dt=10.

“Quaker has 270 Men, One Wave Now in Service.” The Gazette [Cedar Rapids, IA], June 18th. 1943.  https://cedarrapids.historyarchives.online/.

“Quaker Oats.” The Gazette [Cedar Rapids, IA], June 19, 1943.  https://cedarrapids.historyarchives.online/.

Wayne C. Thulin. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

Wayne C. Thulin. U.S., Headstone and Internment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

Wayne C. Thulin. Iowa, U.S., World War II Bonus Case Files for Beneficiaries, 1947-1959. https://www.ancestryclassroom.com/. 

Wayne C. Thulin. Photograph. American Air Museum in Britain (UPL 79212). https://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/75344.

Wayne C. Thulin. Polk Cedar Rapids City Directory. https://www.ancestryclassroom.com/.

Wayne Carlyle Thulin. Iowa, U.S., World War II Bonus Case Files for Beneficiaries, 1947-1959. https://www.ancestryclassroom.com/. 

Secondary Sources

“305th Bomb Group.” American Air Museum in Britain. Accessed February 28, 2025. https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/unit/305th-bomb-group.

“305th Bombardment Group Memorial.” Council of Chelveston. Accessed February 28, 2025. https://www.chelveston-pc.gov.uk/memorial-to-the-305th-bombardmen.

“‘Black Thursday’ October 14, 1943: The Second Schweinfurt Bombing Raid.” The National WWII Museum. Accessed February 28, 2024. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/black-thursday-october-14-1943-second-schweinfurt-bombing-raid.

“The History of the Iowa Manufacturing Company.” Brucemore. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://www.brucemore.org/history/hall-manufacturing/#.  

 “SSGT Wayne Carlyle Thulin.” Find a Grave. Updated August 7, 2010. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56361292/wayne-carlyle-thulin.

“Time Machine: Cedar Rapids investor pushed communication boundaries, led Fortune 500 Company.” The Gazette [Cedar Rapids, IA], March 18, 2018. https://www.thegazette.com/history/time-machine-cedar-rapids-inventor-pushed-communication-boundaries-led-fortune-500-company/.

“Wayne C. Thulin.” American Air Museum in Britain. Accessed February 28, 2025. https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/person/wayne-c-thulin.

“Wayne C. Thulin.” American Battle Monuments Commission. Accessed January 1, 2025. https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/thulin%3Dwayne.

This profile was researched and created through the Researching Silent Heroes program, sponsored by the American Battle Monuments Commission.