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name
KIND, Donald A - Date of
birth
21 July 1920 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Pangbourne, England -
Hometown
Slidell, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
38193951 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Gunner -
Unit
367th Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
15 May 1943 - Place of
death
In the shallow Sea near Cuxhaven, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 9 | 14 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Anne Kind (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-29744 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the U-boats yards
MACR: 15512
More information
S/Sgt Donald A. Kind attended college.He enlisted in New Orleans, Louisiana on 11 July 1942. At the time of his enlistment, S/Sgt Kind still had the English nationality.
The aircraft took part in a bombing mission to submarine pens at Wilhelmshaven on 15 May 1943, at which time 3 aircrafts were lost from the 306th Group. Flak was intense and the cause of the loss is unknown.
The airplane crashlanded in shallow water between Neuwerk Island and Couxhaven, Germany. An attempt to salvage th plane was initially postponed because the bombs were still on board. Under difficult circumstances the bombs were blown up by the aid of fishing boats from 2 to 4 June 1943.
Four crew members survived and were taken prisoner, six were killed.
S/Sgt Kind was initially buried at the Brockeswalden Cemetery of Cuxhaven on 19 May 1943.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Laura Phillips, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census, www.fold3.com, www.archives.gov
Photo source: Jac Engels, Karl Duggin