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Personal info

Full name
CARRAGHER, Robert Zimmerman
Date of birth
28 October 1922
Age
21
Place of birth
New York
Hometown
Washington, District of Columbia

Military service

Service number
O-690767
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
331st Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
18 April 1944
Place of death
50 miles north-northwest of Berlin, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 10 17

Immediate family

Members
Daniel H. Carragher (father)
Alice D. (Zimmerman) Carragher (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31401
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Old Hickory
Destination: Berlin, Germany
MACR: 4151

More information

This aircraft was a member of the Lead Group of a Combat Wing. All A/C were on the bomb run flying at 25,000 feet. Weather was clear with no undercast as the bomb run was begun. At altitude, clouds were encountered as the bomb run progressed. Clouds became solid, so the Group began descent so as to get under them. Just as the Group emerged from the upper clouds and leveled off, flying at 23,000 feet, the Group was attacked by a close formation of about 40-70 S/E enemy A/C which were practically directly on top of our formation. Two (2) passes were made on this Group, both being head-on in close formation and well pressed. About 80 enemy A/C were in the formation making the second attack. This aircraft dropped out of formation and was last seen about 5 miles south of target flying at 18,000 feet and circling. An Unknown number of unidentified chutes were seen. No other information available.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com Zimmerman Family Tree

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-12, Midland AAF, Texas.