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name
POWNALL, Otis Howard - Date of
birth
12 June 1918 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
James City County, Virginia -
Hometown
Reno County, Kansas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
20733281 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
66th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
8 April 1944 - Place of
death
2 km southeast of Breitenhees, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 43 | 20 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Otis H. Pownall (father)
Marion (Donaldson) Pownall (mother)
Ruth Ann Pownall (sister)
Marian D. Pownall (sister)
Wilbur R. Pownall (brother)
Cleta B. Pownall (wife)
Carolyn J. Pownall (daughter)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-99996 -
Data
Type: B-24J
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the aviation industry
MACR: 3763
More information
Sgt Otis H. Pownall was a driver.He joined the Air Corps on 12 August 1942.
The primary target was the aviation industry at Brunswick. This target as well as the secondary were obscured by a smoke screen, so a target of opportunity, Langenhagen/Hannover Aerodrome, was bombed instead.
The airplane was apparently attacked by enemy aircraft at 1345 hours in the vicinity of Salzwedel, Germany, and was seen to go down. No parachutes were observed. Within a space of approximately three minutes, five aircraft were lost to one strong attack by enemy fighters, and it was difficult to determine the exact story of each aircraft.
The entire crew of ten men was killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - Enlistment Record, MACR, Virginia Birth Index, 1920 US Census
Photo source: Jac Engels, Judy Walton (niece)