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name
COMSTOCK, Jack Bingham - Date of
birth
1 August 1919 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Michigan -
Hometown
Peacock, Lake County, Michigan
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-669680 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
494th Bombardment Squadron,
344th Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
23 September 1944 - Place of
death
Left of the street from Rheinberg-Camp-Lintfort
In the vicinity of Rheinberg, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 4 | 3 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John W. Comstock (father)
Latona B. Comstock (mother)
Roberta (Johnson) Comstock (wife)
Scott B. Comstock (son)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-34406 -
Data
Type: B-26G
Destination: Venlo, The Netherlands
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 9733
More information
Lt. Jack B. Comstock graduated from Washington State University in 1942 where he majored in Economics and Business and served as the President of his fraternity, Delta Upsilon.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Seattle, Washington on 11 March 1942.
In the vicinity of the target area, the plane was hit by heavy anti-aircraft fire. The plane was seen to go down in a ball of fire and explode on the way down. No parachutes were seen to leave the aircraft.
Co-Pilot Peter S. Orth was the only survivor and was taken prisoner.
Five crew members were killed. Their remains were found a day later and initially buried in the town cemetery of Rheinberg, Germany.
After being disinterred his remains were evacuated to Margraten as Unknown X-886 and buried in a temporary grave on 27 May 1945. He could be identified in June 1946. After being disinterred a second time and after the cemetery was given a permanent status, he was given his final resting place on 10 January 1949.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Marriage Record / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, Washington State Honor Roll, IDPF
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Michel Beckers, www.ancestry.com - University of Washington 1940, 1941 and 1942