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Personal info

Full name
WARD, Harold Luckey Jr
Date of birth
15 July 1915
Age
28
Place of birth
New York City, New York
Hometown
Nassau County, New York

Military service

Service number
32441270
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Top Turret Gunner
Unit
331st Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
20 October 1943
Place of death
Between the roads Overbroekseweg and Horsterweg
Leunen, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 36 1

Immediate family

Members
Harold L. Ward Sr. (father)
Viola P. (Kight) Ward (mother)
Jane H. Ward (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-3130
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Nip’n Tuck II
Destination: Düren, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the railway complex and aviation industry
MACR: 902

More information

Sgt Harold L. Ward Jr. enlisted on 31 August 1942 at Fort Jay, New York.

On the return flight, the airplane was attacked by enemy fighters. It was so badly hit it exploded in mid-air. Debris were scattered across a wide area.

Eight crew members were killed and initially buried at the military cemetery of Venlo. Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner.

In 2014 a local research team, the Planehunters Recovery Team, found parts of the airplane in the vicinity of the crash. It was decided to erect a monument at the Hoogriebroekseweg in honor of the crew.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Army Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930/1940 Census / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, http://www.planehunters.be/

Photo source: Peter Schouteten