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name
LEMBCKE, Donald Frank "Don" - Date of
birth
7 September 1923 -
Age
20 -
Place of birth
Rochester, Monroe County, New York -
Hometown
Monroe County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-679898 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
334th Bombardment Squadron,
95th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
22 December 1943 - Place of
death
Lageveen, Zuidwolde, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| M | 13 | 11 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Frank F. Lembcke (father)
Hattie Lembcke (mother)
Eleanor J. Lembcke (sister)
Jeanette J. Lembcke (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-37766 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Münster, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 1702
More information
2nd Lt Donald F. Lembcke attended East High School in Rochester, New York.He enlisted in Rochester, New York, on 30 March 1942. He graduated as an aviation cadet from Coffeyville Army Air Field, Coffeyville, Kansas, and was assigned to the single-engine school at Eagle Pass, Texas, where he received his wings and commission on 24 May 1943. He was employed at Bausch & Lomb Optical Company as a precision optics inspector before entering the Army.
A/C 42-37766 was downed by enemy aircraft. Both waist gunners were killed in the attack by enemy fire; the pilot and 2nd Lt Lembcke were killed in the crash. They were last seen at their positions. It is believed they stayed with the ship until it was too late to bail out. The remaining 6 crew members were able to bail out in time. One was able to escape; the others ended up POW.
Source of information: Luc van der Sterren, Terry Hirsch, Astrid van Erp, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.8thafhs.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1925 Census / 1940 Census, www.newspapers.com - Democrat and Chronicle, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, www.95thbg.org, www.ancestry.com - East High School Yearbook 1941, www.newspapers.com - Democrat and Chronicle