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name
LEE, Orin Richard - Date of
birth
18 April 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Keeline, Niobrara County, Wyoming -
Hometown
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
39541621 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
551st Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
28 February 1944 - Place of
death
Boulogne, France
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Hardy Lee (father)
Della Lee (mother)
Hardy Lee (brother)
Audreay Lee (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-38121 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Exact location is not known, France
Mission: Bombing of V-1 launch sites
MACR: 2882
More information
Sgt Orin R. Lee enlisted on 29 October 1942 in Los Angeles, California.The group took part in a bombing raid, targetting various V-1 launch sites across the French coast (Operation Noball).
The aircraft received a direct hit from enemy anti-aircraft fire at the waist windows, knocking off the tail. The front portion of the aircraft went straight down and was seen to crash in a wooded area, in the vicinity of the target. The airplane exploded upon hitting the ground in the city of Boulgone.
Eight crew members were killed, two men survived and were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, Fold3.com MACR 2882, Ancestry.com Lee Family Tree, Archives.gov, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: FOHF, Ancestry.com, Lee Family Tree