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Personal info

Full name
MURPHY, Joseph Leon
Date of birth
9 April 1907
Age
36
Place of birth
Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Hometown
Plymouth County, Massachusetts

Military service

Service number
11053174
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner
Unit
527th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
12 August 1943
Place of death
Leimersdorf, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
I 15 7

Immediate family

Members
Thomas J. Murphy (father)
Mary F. (Bradford) Murphy (mother)
Francis Murphy (brother)
John E. Murphy (brother)
Mary A. Murphy (sister)
William P. Murphy (brother)
Florence M. Murphy (sister)
Edith M. Murphy (sister)
Thomas R. Murphy (brother)
Ella F. Murphy (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-5821
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Cindy
Destination: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 1360

More information

T/Sgt Joseph L. Murphy attended high school for two years and worked in a shoe factory. He volunteered for the Army of the United States in Boston, Massachusetts on 8 June 1942.

The airplane suffered a fire in the bomb-bay area from flak and fighter attacks.

Four crew members survived and were taken prisoner, six were killed. They were initially buried at the cemetery of Leimersdorf, Germany.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial, Archives, Fold3, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees / Headstone and Interment Record

Photo source: www.findagrave.com