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name
GALLAGHER, Anthony John - Date of
birth
24 June 1917 -
Age
27 - Place of
birth
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Broomall, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-754330 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
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
Anthony Gallagher (father)
Bridget (Moran) Gallagher (mother)
Katherine T. Gallagher (sister)
James Gallagher (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
Lt. Gallagher graduated from West Catholic High School.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, Terry Hirsch, www.100thbg.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Laucevicius Family Tree / Veteran Compensation Application File / 1930 Census, IDPF of Gordon K. Bowen
Photo source: www.100thbg.com