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Personal info

Full name
DREYER, Clem Joseph
Date of birth
24 November 1924
Age
19
Place of birth
Michigan City, LaPorte County, Indiana
Hometown
Michigan, La Porte County, Indiana

Military service

Service number
35094551
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
325th Bombardment Squadron,
92nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
29 May 1944
Place of death
Denzig, 8 km SW of Kallies, Germany - These places are now know as Dębsko and Kalisz in Poland.

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 22 17

Plane data

Serial number
42-37877
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Popcorn Fort
Destination: Cottbus, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Focke-Wulf Aviation Industry
MACR: 5357

More information

Sgt. Clem J. Dreyer graduated from Elston High School.

He enlisted from Indianapolis, Indiana on 22 February 1943.
Statement of 2nd Lt Herdman S. Porter, O-813057:
"Ship 877 was hit on first or second attack. A 20mm went through left wing, outboard of #1 engine. 877 flew in his position for about ten (10) minutes, then peeled off to the right, apparently under control.
About a minute after that, the left wing buckled and fire started at the trailing edge. A few seconds thereafter, the wing section broke off and the ship went into a steep spiral to the left out of control. Seven chutes were seen by my crew members."
Statement of 2nd Lt Harry Avery, pilot of A/C 42-37877:
"Our plane was hit by enemy fighter action, caught on fire and blew up on mid-air. After plane was hit I gave orders for men to put chutes on and bail out. The navigator and I saw two bodies on ground without chutes which evidently were blown out of plane. Our navigator recognized clothing on one of the bodies to be that of bombardier´s (2nd Lt Stewart). I believe that the other body was subject´s (S/Sgt Mc Ilroy)."
Clem J. Dreyer was last seen in the waist, ready to bail out. The centrifugal forces held him in the ship. He crashed with the plane.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com – MACR, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Jac Engels, www.panoramio.com / Pawelm (plaque at crashsite), Gene McIlroy, Elston High School, 1943