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Personal info

Full name
COLEMAN, Andrew Edward Jr
Date of birth
16 January 1923
Age
20
Place of birth
Somerville, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Hometown
Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Military service

Service number
11130295
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner/Assistant Radio Operator
Unit
337th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
16 December 1943
Place of death
Kimswerd, Friesland, Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
D 5 32

Immediate family

Members
Andrew E. Coleman (father)
Margaret T. Coleman (mother)
Evelyn E. Coleman (sister)
Helen M. Coleman (sister)
Robert W. Coleman (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-3265
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Holy Mackeral
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port area
MACR: 1568

More information

S/Sgt Andrew E. Coleman Jr. graduated from Somerville High School in 1941 and worked in a warehouse. He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Boston, Massachusetts on 3 December 1942.

When the B-17 #42-30860 was attacked by fighters, witnesses saw it exploded and, when going down, colliding with #42-3265 between the Dutch mainland and the Frisian Islands east of Texel.

Nine crew members were killed, one survived and was taken prisoner.

S/Sgt Coleman was initially buried at the cemetery of Kimswerd on 18 December 1943.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, Massachusetts / Birth Index, 1860-1970

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, www.ancestry.com - Somerville High School, 1941