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name
VANCE, Harold Claude "Dei" - Date of
birth
1 September 1920 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Indiana -
Hometown
Seymour, Jackson County, Indiana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
35707170 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
332nd Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
4 November 1944 - Place of
death
North Sea
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
John C. Vance (father)
Maude A. (Fields) Vance (mother)
Roy Vance (brother)
Carl W. Vance (brother)
Peggy (Barness) Vance (sister)
Jean (Kelly) Vance (sister)
Bettie M. (Carlein) Vance (sister)
Mary E. Vance (wife)
Johnny Vance (son)
Judy Vance (daughter)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38165 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: St. Christopher Kids
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Rheunania Ossag oil refinery
MACR: 10305
More information
S/Sgt Harold C. Vance graduated from Shields High School and was the employed by Burnside-Box Construction Company.He enlisted in Liousville, Kentucky on 4 August 1943.
Two engines were hit and damaged by flak. According to the last word received from the crew, they were heading towards Holland and had decided to abandon the plane in the North Sea and await an Air Rescue. No further communication was received.
The entire crew of nine men was killed.
Official Statement of Thomas C.S. Houser, 2nd Lt, Air Corps:
"This aircraft was last seen with two engines out on 4 November 1944 at 53˚52'N - 07˚00'E at 1322 hours. At 1342 hours it was reported that he was calling for Air Sea Resque at 53˚48'N - 05˚40'E. Reports over VHF stated that he would try to make Holland but then decided to ditch. No further confirmed reports were received from this aircraft and therefore it is not known whether it ditched or made a landing safely."
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Vance Family Tree / Underwood Family tree / 1930 Census, www.usaafdata.com, www.Fold3.com - MACR, Statement, www.8thafs, www.newspapers.com - The Tribune
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Tribune