Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
DI MARTINO, Dante - Date of
birth
1916 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
unknown -
Hometown
New York, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
07070762 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner -
Unit
358th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
11 January 1944 - Place of
death
Herzberg am Harz, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 8 | 33 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Gabriel Di Martino (father)
Julia Di Martino (mother)
Gemma J. Di Martino (sister)
Ludvig Di Martino (brother)
Flora Di Martino (sister)
Emma Di Martino (sister)
Stella Di Martino (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30865 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Oschersleben, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the AGO-Fucke-Wulf aviation industry
MACR: 1927
More information
T/Sgt Stan Backiel, top turret gunner and surviving crew member stated after the war: "The plane was under enemy attack for about 20 minutes, most of the time out of formation and gradually losing altitude. We received the bail out order by bell. I noticed that the oxygen and probably the hydraulic oil were on fire just behind the pilot- and bomb bay area. All plexiglas in the nose section was gone. It was very windy and chaos in the nose area and I saw both pilots still in their seats as I bailed out."Four crew members survived and were taken prisoner, six were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, 303 Bomb Group , www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR,
www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / Headstone Inscription and Interment Record
Photo source: Wendy Lensink, www.findagrave.com - Michel Beckers