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Personal info

Full name
VERMIE, Layton P
Date of birth
1 October 1918
Age
25
Place of birth
Adelphi, Polk County, Iowa
Hometown
Runnells, Polk County, Iowa

Military service

Service number
O-761213
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
570th Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
19 May 1944
Place of death
Near Eggebek, 30 kilometers south of Flensburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Paul F. Vermie (father)
Anna M. (Johnson) Vermie (mother)
Marvin E. Vermie (brother)
Pauline B.Vermie (sister)
Cathleen Vermie (sister)
Freeda A.Vermie (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-102532
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 4935

More information

Layton P. Vermie joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Santa Ana, California, on 10 March 1943.

The bomber formation was attacked by German fighters. This airplane was seen to be hit, and a fire started near #2 engine. It was under control as it left the formation. It fell behind and lost altitude.

The entire crew of ten men managed to bail out. The only casualty was Lt Vermie. The rest of the crew was taken prisoner. The exact circumstances of his death are not clear. It is possible his parachute didn't open but surviving crew members stated that he could have been have killed by German civilians or soldiers after he landed. It is also mentioned that Germans told the crew that they had found his body next to the plane, but they did not offer proof.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, WW11 Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com, - Family Trees, 1920/1925/1930 Census, Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, Iowa
Gravestones Index, www.fold3.com, - MACR, (Individual) Casualty Questionaire, www.8thafhs.com, www.390th.org

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Fred Munckhof, Katie Lou, Lori Sorenson, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree, www.newspapers.com - Des Moines Tribune