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name
GATTO, Stephen Lawrence - Date of
birth
23 May 1920 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Ontario, Wayne County, New York -
Hometown
Rochester, Monroe County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
12024483 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner/Engineer -
Unit
544th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
6 April 1945 - Place of
death
Over Leipzig, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 4 | 40 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Joseph Gatto (father)
Theresa Gatto (mother)
Rose Gatto (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38801 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Ruth
Destination: Leipzig, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the rail traffic center
MACR: 13851
More information
Sgt Stephen L. Gatto attended Benjamin Franklin High School and was employed by the Rochester Stationery Company.He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Binghamton, New York on 23 May 1941.
The airplane collided with B-17 #43-39164 just after they left the target area.
The tail was destroyed, and it had a hole in the right trailing edge of the wing. The pilot held control for a minute and then went into a steep dive.
Seven crew members were killed, and one was taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, http://384thbombgroup.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.newspapers.com - Democrat and Chronicle, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, New York Birth Index
Photo source: Jac Engels, www.newspapers.com - Democrat and Chronicle