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Personal info

Full name
HUNTER, Willard Owen "Red"
Date of birth
21 June 1913
Age
30
Place of birth
Linton, Greene County, Indiana
Hometown
Bloomfield, Greene County, Indiana

Military service

Service number
35477483
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
511th Bombardment Squadron,
351st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Silver Star,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
4 October 1943
Place of death
Westerschelde, east of Ellewoutsdijk, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Henry G. Hunter (father)
Olive (Perkins) Hunter (mother)
Charles R. Hunter (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-5807
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Rikki Tikki Tavi aka Minor Ball
Destination: Frankfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Vereinigte Deutsche Metallwerke (VDM) aviation industry
MACR: 910

More information

S/Sgt Willard O. Hunter graduated from Linton-Stockton High School with the class of 1929 and was the owner of Red's Tavern in Bloomfield.

He enlisted on 22 April 1942 in Evansville, Indiana and was sent overseas in March 1943.

He was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously. It was presented to his mother at Freeman Field in February 1945. The citation stated: For galantry in action, while serving as left waist gunner on a B-17 on a bombardement mission over Germany on 17 July 1943. After leaving the German coast on the return journey, the airplane was attacked and severely damaged by enemy fighers. Three engines were disabled, two of the gun turrets knocked out and the nose gun silenced. In spite of the fact that orders had been given to prepare for a crash landing in the sea, Sgt Hunter courageously remained at his gun, fighting off the attacking planes until a few seconds before the airplane hit the water. The courage, skill and devotion to duty, displayed by Sgt Hunter on this occasion reflect the higest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.

The aircraft was shot down by flak and enemy aircraft on the return flight and crashed at 12.25 h.

The entire crew of ten men was killed.

Only two bodies were recovered. S/Sgt Towsley's body washed ashore. The exact date and location is not known. The body of S/Sgt Burgess washed ashore at Buitenhaven, Vlissingen on 19 October 1943. He was initially buried at the Northern Cemetery of Vlissingen a day later.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Army Enlistment Record / 1930 Census, www.newspapers.com - Linton Daily Citizen / The Edingburg Daily Courier

Photo source: FOHF, Linton Daily Citizen 22 August 1945