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name
DI COSMO, Salvador James - Date of
birth
1920 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Arkansas -
Hometown
Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
38210049 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator -
Unit
427th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
19 August 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, off Hoek van Holland, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Nick Di Cosmo (father)
Oliva Di Cosmo (mother)
Natala Di Cosmo (brother)
Mary E. (Walls) Di Cosmo (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-5392 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Stric Nine
Destination: Gilze Rijen, The Netherlands
Mission: Bombing of airfield
MACR: 285
More information
T/Sgt Salvador J. Di Cosmo was a waiter.He enlisted in Little Rock, Arkansas on 23 July 1942.
The mission was to bomb the airfield of Gilze-Rijen with 38 B-17's from different bomber groups. Due to mist and the reflection of the sun, a first attempt to localise the target failed. The majority of the airplanes returned to their home base but the 303rd Bomber Group turned and tried a second time, but now this group was behind the main formation without the much needed fighter protection. At that moment the group was attacked by a large group of FW-190's who shoot down several bombers.
This B-17 was hit by flak and caught fire. Four crew members could bail out and were taken prisoner, six were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.303rdbg.com, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / Marriage Certificate
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Sophie Uljee, www.wwiimemorial.com, http://www.honorstates.org