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Personal info

Full name
TOVEY, George A
Date of birth
10 August 1917
Age
27
Place of birth
Pennsylvania
Hometown
Beaver County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
O-800673
Rank
Captain
Function
Navigator
Unit
14th Troop Carrier Squadron,
61st Troop Carrier Group
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 March 1945
Place of death
Near Wesel, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
P 3 2

Immediate family

Members
George F. Tovey (father)
Mathilda A. Tovey (mother)
Jack Tovey (brother)
Louis Tovey (brother)
Jane Tovey (sister)
Mary C. Tovey (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-93798
Data
Type: C-47A
Destination: Drop Zone A, near Wesel, Germany
Mission: Paratrooper drop
MACR: 13507

More information

As the planes exited de DZ they were to make a left bank to turn and head back to their new base. As Cargill's ship went into the bank, his plane flew into what looked like a stream of tracer fire and was seen to start puffing smoke from arround the left wing. Shortly after, there was smoke seen coming from the cockpit. Cargill's plane never came out of the bank and quickly lost altitude. The left wing hit a house as it neared the ground tearing it off and the rest of the ship hit the ground and exploded.
There was evidence of 1 parachute coming out of the plane at about tree top level. The parachute was shredded in the trees and all aboard the plane were killed.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Pennsylvania veterans Burial Cards / 1940 Census, www.fold3.com,

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Mary Lou Peake