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name
SNELL, Jack DOrton - Date of
birth
9 December 1919 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri -
Hometown
Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
17035135 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
359th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
14 May 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, near Heligoland, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Charles A. Snell (father)
Opal B. (Hogan) Snell (mother)
Marian Snell (sister)
Louise Snell (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-5243 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: FDR's Formerly Potato Peeler Kids
Destination: Kiel, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the U-boats yards
MACR: 15593
More information
S/Sgt Jack D. Snell graduated from Smith-Cotton High School in 1937. He was with the circulation department of the Sedalia Democrat newspaper.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States Jefferson Barracks, Missouri on 6 January 1942.
The airplane was shot down by enemy aircraft. Crew members of other B-17's in the group reported seven parachutes leaving the plane. It ditched near the island of Heligoland.
The entire crew of ten men was killed. The remains of nine men were never recovered. Only the body of waist gunner Francis W. O'Reilly washed ashore.
Six crew members are commemorated at the Walls of the Missing at Margraten, three men are commemorated at the Walls of the Missing at Cambridge.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, 303bombgroup, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, www.archives.gov, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: 303bomgroup, Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Sedalia Democrat