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Personal info

Full name
RASCH, Abraham Joseph
Date of birth
6 February 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Brooklyn, Kings, New York
Hometown
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York

Military service

Service number
32440998
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
360th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
2 October 1943
Place of death
North Sea, off the coast of Denmark

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Max Rasch (father)
Gussie Rasch (mother)
Sarah Rasch (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-5260
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Yardbird II
Destination: Emden, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the industrial area
MACR: 738

More information

S/Sgt Abraham J. Rasch graduated from Erasmus Hall High School and was employed at Warner Woven Label Company.

He enlisted at Fort Jay, New York on 29 August 1942.

The aircraft was hit by gunfire from two ME-109's immediately after the formation left the target. The ship peeled off, went down out of control, and exploded above the overcast. One parachute was observed coming out it went out of sight.

In addition to the crew of ten, a photographer, Sgt Carney C. Rhodes Jr., was on board. All were killed. Only the body of Hugh F. Gigney Jr. was recovered when it washed ashore at Esbjerg, where he was initally buried on 3 December 1942. He is now interred at Ardennes Cemetery.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.303rdbg.com, www.archives.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, 303rd Bomb Group, http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=183976