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Personal info

Full name
MURPHY, William C
Date of birth
14 April 1918
Age
26
Place of birth
Wahkonsa Township, Webster County, Iowa
Hometown
California

Military service

Service number
38403556
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Top Turret Gunner/Engineer
Unit
544th Bombardment Squadron,
348th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
16 November 1944
Place of death
Eschweiler, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
N 22 8

Immediate family

Members
Clyde C. Murphy (father)
Anna (Griney) Murphy (mother)
Robert Murphy (brother)
Richard Murphy (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
44-6512
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Eschweiler, Germany
Mission: Bombing of enemy troop positions
MACR: 10448

More information

The airplane received a direct flak burst in engine #3 over the target, setting it on fire at 12:05 hrs. It started to dive, apparently in an attempt to extinguish the fire.

The flak burst seriously wounded the pilot and killed Lt Barnes.

Six parachutes were seen to leave the airplane in the vicinity of the target area, of which one was on fire. Most likely this was the parachute of Sgt William C. Murphy who didn't survive. These five men were taken prisoner.

The airplane crash lands in the forest opposite the wine castle of Genoelselderen.

According to the sayings of elderly local civilians, someone from the resistance was at the wreckage quite quickly and took two injured crew members with him to hide from the Germans. The crew members were hidden in a forest near Herderen. The two Americans were very scared and did not trust anyone. When the members of the resistance went to the hiding place in the evening, the two were no longer found. They probably left on their own initiative. both men returned to Allied lines.

There is currently a chapel that commemorates this crash. There are initiatives to place a full-fledged memorial there.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, http://iagenweb.org, The Mason City Globe-Gazette Mason City, Iowa 10 January 1944, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Iowa, County Births / 1920-1930 census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Mason City Globe-Gazette