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name
LEWIS, Paul S - Date of
birth
1916 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Missouri -
Hometown
Los Angeles County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19161738 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
551st Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
28 February 1944 - Place of
death
Boulogne, France
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Virgia Lewis (mother)
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
Paul Lewis was a mechanic before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United Stated in Los Angeles, California on 14 October 1942.The group took part in a bombing raid, targeting 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 Boulogne.
Eight crew members were killed, while two men survived and were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, WWIIMemorial.com, Fold3.com MACR 2882, Ancestry.com, Archives.gov
Photo source: FOHF