Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
BAUM, William J
Date of birth
1 July 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia
Hometown
Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia

Military service

Service number
15337666
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner
Unit
579th Bombardment Squadron,
392nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
21 February 1944
Place of death
North Sea, probably some 40 miles off the coast of Alkmaar, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
William Baum (father)
Blanche M. Baum (mother)
Freda Baum (sister)
Robert Baum (brother)
Margaret Baum (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-64435
Data
Type: B-24H
Destination: Vorden, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 2563

More information

William Baum worked in a machine shop.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Fort Thomas, Kentucky on 26 October 1942.

The airplane was hit by flak. According to eye-witness statements of crew members of other airplanes in the group, the #3 engine of the airplane was on fire after which a large explosion was observed beneath the airplane. After this explosion the aircraft was observed to be going down, out of control, and headed back towards the Dutch coast. It was subsequently concluded that the airplane had gone down in the waters off the enemy coast as no information was ever recovered on this situation, either in enemy or friendly force reporting.

The entire crew of ten men was killed.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Carla Mans, www.ancestry.com - 1940 census / United States World War II Army Enlistment Records 1938-1946, West Virginia Memory Project

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Marlene Gorka / Kathy Hoag