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name
CIPRESSO, Berline "Benny" - Date of
birth
7 February 1916 -
Age
27 - Place of
birth
Gallitzin, Cambria County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Hamtramck, Wayne County, Michigan
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-680407 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
339th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
29 November 1943 - Place of
death
Syke, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 12 | 12 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Damiano Cipresso (father)
Anna (Santoni) Cipresso (mother)
Edmund Cipresso (brother)
Rena Cipresso (sister)
Bessie Cipresso (sister)
Lea Cipresso (sister)
Virginia (Pernick) Cipresso (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30359 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1392
More information
Berline Cipresso was a post office clerk.He enlisted at Fort Custer, Michigan on 10 March 1942.
The aircraft was shot down by enemy fighter planes. Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner. Eight men were killed. They were initially buried at the cemetery of Vechta, Germany.
When the remains of the killed crew members were disinterred at the cemetery of Vechta, only Lt Cipresso couldn't be immediately identified. His remains were marked as Unknown X-1180 and evacuated to Ardennes Cemetery, where he could be identified by comparison of dental charts.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census http://books.google.nl, IDPF, WWII Draft Card, Michigan, Marriage Records
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Michel Beckers/Bill Thoftne