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name
HODGE, Herman Leonard - Date of
birth
20 November 1918 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Deerfield, Augusta County, Virginia -
Hometown
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
6994484 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
358th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Died of Injuries - Date of
death
23 April 1944 - Place of
death
Neheim, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| E | 11 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Leonard M. Hodge (father)
Mary R. (Thomas) Hodge (mother)
Josephine Hodge (sister)
Leon A. Hodge (brother)
Caryl L. (Haas) Hodge (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-39785 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Thru Hel'en Hiwater
Destination: Hamm, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 4272
More information
Sgt Herman L. Hodge was working for a commercial concern at the time he joined the Regular Army in September 1939. He first was the chauffeur of Robert Lovett, Assistant Secretary of War of Air before he was transferred to the Air Corps in March 1943. He took his basic training at Buckley Field, Colorado and received his wings at Wendover Field, Utah in October 1943. He went overseas in January, 1944.The mission took place on 22 April 1944.
The airplane was hit by flak which set # 1 engine on fire. It went into a spiral and started to go down. The plane crashed in Delecke, Germany.
Six crew members survived and were taken prisoner, four were killed.
Sgt Hodge managed to bail out. He landed on the edge of a gulch and was dragged over onto the rocks by his partially inflated parachute which caused a complete fracture of his left thigh, a large wound in his belly and a fractured skull.
He was captured with S/Sgt Culp and died of his injuries a day later in the garrison hospital of Neheim.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.303rdbg.com, www.ancestry.com, www.newspapers.com - The News Leader
Photo source: Nico Leers, Michel Beckers, www.303rdbg.com