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Submit- Full
name
DREES, Edward Wilbur - Date of
birth
25 April 1924 -
Age
19 - Place of
birth
Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado -
Hometown
Denver County, Colorado
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
17090280 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
427th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
20 December 1943 - Place of
death
Near Bremen, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 21 | 16 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Edward F. Drees (father)
Ada A. (Prewitt) Drees (mother)
Lillian M. Drees (sister)
Mildred Drees (sister)
Robert F. Drees (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31233 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1707
More information
Edward W. Drees volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Denver, Colorado on 2 November 1942.A Me-110 came within 50 feet of the airplane and fired two rockets which entered the aircraft between the ball turret and the tail. The ball turret gunner, S/Sgt E.W. Drees, managed to hit the Me-110 in the left wing, breaking it off and sending it down. Bursts from another enemy aircraft entered the ball turret causing two bright flashes. The no 2 and no 3 engines were smoking heavily. S/Sgt Drees still fired after the burst, but no flame was seen. The pilot, Lt Leve, peeled off to the right, fell about 6,000 feet in a straight dive, then leveled off before hitting cloud cover.
Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner, eight were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, 303rd Bomb Group, www.ancestry.com - Davit Potter Family Tree / Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com - MACR / WWII Registration Card
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, SBTS emarches