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Personal info

Full name
RILEY, Harley Howard Jr
Date of birth
20 November 1918
Age
24
Place of birth
Georgia
Hometown
Butler, Taylor County, Georgia

Military service

Service number
O-731420
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
336th Bombardment Squadron,
95th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
13 June 1943
Place of death
Baltic Sea, off the coast of Langeland Island, Denmark

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Harley H. Riley (father)
Olivia J. (Montford) Riley (mother)
Frank Riley (brother)
Pansy Riley (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-29702
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Rat Killer
Destination: Kiel, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Krupp Germaniawerft - U-boat yards
MACR: 4896

More information

2nd Lt Harley H. Riley Jr. graduated from the University of Georgia in 1940 with a bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and was a teacher in secondary school before he enlisted at Fort McPherson, Georgia on 24 June 1941.

The aircraft was last seen over Kiel, Germany, at 54 to 55 degrees north latitude and 08 to 10 degrees east longitude. It was shot down by enemy fighters. The entire crew of ten men was killed.

Soon after the crash, only the bodies of McMurtry, Lambert, and Julliard were actually found. The remains of 1st Lt William Gimble Renaud washed ashore off the beach at Pagenkop, Langeland Island, on 7 January 1958. He is buried at the Ardennes American Cemetery, and also listed at the Walls of the Missing at Margraten.

The rest of the crew is still listed as missing in action.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.8thafhs.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Barry-Thomas Family Tree / 1940 Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com, University of Georgia yearbook, 1940