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Personal info

Full name
BENDON, Louis Anger "Lou"
Date of birth
7 May 1919
Age
24
Place of birth
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Religion
Jewish

Military service

Service number
O-693734
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
547th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
13 April 1944
Place of death
In the field next to the farm at Rue de la Miraine 47
Fouleng, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
H 3 15

Immediate family

Members
J. George Bendon (father)
Anna E. Bendon (mother)
Adeline Bendon (sister)
Jack A. Bendon (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-97274
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Royal Flush
Destination: Schweinfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the ball-bearing factories
MACR: 3873

More information

2nd Lt. Louis A. Bendon enlisted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 6 June 1942.

The aircraft was hit by flak in #1 and #2 engines on the return flight. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft blew up in midair.

Three crew members were taken prisoner, and three men evaded capture. Six men were killed. They were initially buried in a common grave at the community cemetery of Chièvres, Belgium on 15 April 1944.

A memorial plaque can be found at the crash site.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Adam Bell, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR 3873, www.archives.gov - WWII enlistment Records, http://www.384thbombgroup.com/, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / Pennsylvania, Veteran Compensation Applications, WWII, 1950

Photo source: Jeannick Tapell, Adam Bell, Arie-Jan van Hees - Pilot 43-I Majors AAF Texas, www.hangarflying.eu