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Personal info

Full name
WITTENDORF, Walter
Date of birth
4 December 1923
Age
20
Place of birth
New York
Hometown
Valley Stream, Nassau County, New York

Military service

Service number
32864411
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
349th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
5 August 1944
Place of death
Heyrothsberge-Magdeburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Oscar W. Wittendorf (father)
Edna M. Wittendorf (mother)
Grace Wittendorf (sister)
Lawrence Wittendorf (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-37572
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Sassy Lassy
Destination: Magdeburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Krupp-Grusonwerke armaments industry
MACR: 7878

More information

S/Sgt Walter Wittendorf worked in an aircraft factory before he enlisted in New York City, New York on 5 March 1943.

Eyewitnesses state that the 'Sassy L' or 'Sassy Lassy' was hit by flak as bombs were released. The aircraft disintegrated and no parachutes were seen. Later reports suggest it may have been bombs from another B-17 that destroyed the 'Sassy L'. There is no confirmation of this and the fate of the aircraft will probably never positively determined. The Casualty Report states the plane was hit by flak in the bomb bay. All 9 crewmen were killed. Six are listed on the Walls of the Missing at Margraten. The remains of William F. Edmondson and Herman F. Herhamer returned to the Unites States and Ralph O. Ingalls is buried at the American Military Cemetery of Lorraine.

Field investigations conducted on 15 July, 26 July 1948 and 16 February 1949 revealed that five or six badly burned bodies were recovered from the wreckage by the German military. However no information could be obtained as to the whereabouts or burial of these men.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.100thbg.com, www.archives.gov, IDPF of Gordon K. Bowen

Photo source: www.100thbg.com