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Personal info

Full name
GOLAN, Theodore Francis
Date of birth
12 April 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Hometown
Linn County, Iowa

Military service

Service number
36656501
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner
Unit
365th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
7 October 1944
Place of death
Near Sankt-Mauritz, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 39 21

Immediate family

Members
Jacob Golan (father)
Katherine Golan (mother)
Frank Golan (brother)
Sophia Golan (sister)
Marie Golan (sister)
Peter Golan (brother)
Louis Golan (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
43-38151
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Zwickau Germany
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 9354

More information

Sgt Theodore F. Golan graduated from Crane Technical High School in 1942.

The group encountered intense accurate flak. The tip of the left wing was blown off which stated a fire at the wing tip and also in No. 4 engine. The airplane went straight down in a slow spin. Eyewitnesses reported it exploded at about 8,000 feet. No parachutes were seen. Two crew members were taken prisoner, eight were killed. They were initially buried at the community cemetery of Sprakel on 9 October 1944.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/18238601

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Crane Technical High School 1942