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name
SKEEN, George Charles - Date of
birth
1 October 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Essex County, New Jersey -
Hometown
Essex County, New Jersey
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-723193 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
366th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Died of Wounds - Date of
death
19 October 1944 - Place of
death
Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 28 | 13 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Louis W. Skeen (father)
Lillian Skeen (mother)
Lois Skeen (sister)
Betty A. (Speight) Skeen (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38052 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Cologne, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 9473
More information
2nd Lt George C. Skeen graduated from Morrell High School in 1939. He attended college for one year.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Newark, New Jersey on 20 November 1942.
The mission took place on 17 October 1944. Over the target, the airplane was hit by flak on the left wing, between #1 and #2 engines. The wing broke off at the #2 engine and caught fire. The airplane went over on its back, and then went down, completely out of control. By impact it disintegrated. The airplane crashed at the railway station of Merten, south of Cologne.
Of the crew of nine men, three men were killed in the crash, two were not or just slightly wounded and were taken prisoner and four died of wounds two days later.
Lt Potucek was one of the wounded who died two days later.
The deceased men were initially buried at the cemetery of Waldorf near Bornheim.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Jeff Hays, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Jeff Hays