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HURLBURT, Don Merrick - Date of
birth
26 December 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
New York -
Hometown
Portville, Cattaraugas County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-794951 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
351st Fighter Squadron,
353rd Fighter Group
-
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
22 February 1944 - Place of
death
Oosterschelde, off the coast of Noord-Beveland, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Russell C. Hurlburt (father)
Helen (Merrick) Hurlburt (mother)
Nancy Hurlburt (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-75653 -
Data
Type: P-47D
Nickname: Buffalo Barb
Destination: Koblenz, Germany
Mission: Bomber escort and strafe
More information
Don Hurlburt graduated from Portville High School in 1933 and was a chauffeur.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Buffalo, New York, on 17 January 1942. He received his wings and was commissioned in December 1942 and was sent overseas in February 1943.
According to the statement of 1st Lt John G. Treitz, who participated in the mission, after an attack on an airfield, northeast of Bonn, Germany, they were coming out the coast at very low altitude at Noord Beveland. Some reported on the radio that Lt Hurlburt and Lt Wood were hit by flak. Lt Wood's plane had a small fire on the wing root and fuselage, and Lt Hurlburt's plane was smoking badly. They both turned to the right, back towards land, just as the group was leaving the coast.
Both pilots are commemorated on the Walls of the Missing at Margraten.
Lt Hurlburt flew sixty-four missions.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - Times Herald / 1930 Census
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Joel Frampton Gilfert, Peter Schouteten