Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
TROLESE, Alexander - Date of
birth
6 February 1918 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Richmond, Contra Costa County, California -
Hometown
Richmond, Contra Costa County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-743297 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
66th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
26 November 1943 - Place of
death
Between Brual and Rhede, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 36 | 54 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Gustavo Trolese (father)
Maria (Passioni) Trolese (mother)
Louis G. Trolese (brother)
Rose Trolese (sister)
Matilda Trolese (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-24234 -
Data
Type: B-24D
Nickname: Mr 5x5
Destination: Bremen Germany
Mission: Bombing of the industrial area
MACR: 1501
More information
Alexander Trolese graduated from Richmond Union High School and worked for the Standard Oil Company.He joined the National Guard on 3 March 1941 in Oakland, California.
Both his parents were immigrants from Italy.
This B-24 and another one were flying in a tight formation when both hit prop wash from airplanes ahead. The other plane nosed up and the #4 engine and propeller chewed into the tail of MR 5x5, tearing off the right stabilizer, fin, and rudder. Immediately it did half a wing over and started to go down in a slow spiral. As it lost altitude, it was seen to level off for a moment, and then the remainer of the tail assembly disintegrated. It went down and was seen to crash.
The entire crew of ten men was killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, www.newspapers.com - Oakland Tribune
Photo source: Peter Schouteten