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Personal info

Full name
NOONAN, Joseph Paul
Date of birth
17 July 1921
Age
21
Place of birth
Capser, Natrona County, Wyoming
Hometown
Galveston, Galveston County, Texas

Military service

Service number
18117408
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
525th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
25 June 1943
Place of death
Brahe, near Rhede, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 33 19

Immediate family

Members
William George Noonan (father)
Adelaide (Sharpless) Noonan (mother)
Mary L. Noonan (sister)
Billie Noonan (brother)
Herbert Noonan (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-3023
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Boozeness
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of Blohm & Voss naval shipyards
MACR: 1365

More information

Joseph P. Noonan was a clerk.

He volunteered for the Army of the United States in Houston, Texas on 15 August 1942.

Although the primary targets were the shipyards of Hamburg, these were not attacked because they were obscured by clouds. Instead, the 379th Bomber Group attacked targets of oppurtunity at Wangerooge Isle, Netherlands.

The aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft and exploded in mid-air.

Five crew members were taken prisoner, five men were killed.

It was the crew's third mission.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930/1940 Census / Katherine E. Perley Family Tree (by perleygirl)

Photo source: Jac Engels