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Personal info

Full name
THOMPSON, Chester Lee
Date of birth
25 July 1925
Age
19
Place of birth
Arkansas
Hometown
Concord, Contra Costa County, California

Military service

Service number
39144512
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
364th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
5 December 1944
Place of death
Prenden, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 27 13

Immediate family

Members
Lewis E. Thompson (father)
Clarice A. (Eyestone) Thompson (mother)
Carl E. Thompson (brother)
Alice L. Thompson (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-39947
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Chiquita
Destinantion: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of munitions and tank plants
MACR: 11040

More information

Chester Thompson attended high school for two years and was a welder.

He enlisted in San Francisco, California on 29 November 1943.

The airplane was hit by a direct flak burst, breaking the fuselage in two.

The wreckage crashed close to Prenden, Germany. All nine crewmembers were killed. They were initially buried at the local cemetery of the town.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - Defreze Family Tree

Photo source: Jac Engels, www.ancestry.com - B. Defreze