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name
KETTERER, David N - Date of
birth
4 October 1922 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Butler, Butler County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Butler, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
13086610 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner/Engineer -
Unit
544th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
25 July 1943 - Place of
death
In the mouth of the Eider River, 4 km from Vollerwiek, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 15 | 11 |
Immediate family
-
Members
David Ketterer (father)
Mary (Neely) Ketterer (mother)
Ruth Ketterer (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3075 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Longhorn
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Blohm & Voss shipyards
More information
T/Sgt David N. Ketterer graduated from Slippery Rock High School in 1940.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 16 June 1942.
The plane suffered damage from flak and fell out of formation with the #3 engine smoking, and the entire nose shot up badly. One crewman was seen lying in the nose, apparently dead. Another fell from the nose and was thrashing about, apparently his chute wouldn't open. The aircraft was still under attack from the rear as it crashed in the mouth of the Eider River. It crashed into deep water, burned, and sank.
Three crew members survived and were taken prisoner; seven were killed.
The remains of T/Sgt Ketterer washed ashore on 25 July 1943 and were initially buried in the New Cemetery of Tönning on 6 August 1943.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Michel Beckers, Marge Faux, Marie-José Venner-Lijten, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, IDPF of Arlie R. Bridge
Photo source: Jac Engels, Charles F. Bridge II