Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
BRANN, Fred - Date of
birth
2 December 1907 -
Age
36 - Place of
birth
Dunkirk, Chautauque County, New York -
Hometown
Erie County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32284335 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
335th Bombardment Squadron,
95th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
20 December 1943 - Place of
death
Near Target Bremen, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Theodore Brann (father)
Julia (Baron) Brann (mother)
William Brann (brother)
Elmor Brann (brother)
Theodore A. Brann (brother)
Madelin Brann (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31305 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 1557
More information
T/Sgt Fred Brann enlisted in Buffalo, New York on 27 May 1942.Gunner-engineer on a Flying Fortress, Tech Sgt. Fred Brann, widely known sports writer and former publicity director of the Buffalo Baseball Club, failed to return from a raid on Germany December 20th, 1943. He went overseas with his air crew at the end of 1943 and had completed two bombing missions. On both these missions his Fort was hit by flak but he and his crew mates escaped injury. The plane was on its third bombing run when it failed to return. In the service nearly two years, Sgt. Brann completed air crew training in April 1943, qualifying as fllight engineer and top turret gunner. He went overseas as a staff sergeant and was promoted to technical sergeant after getting into action.
B-17G 42-31305 piloted by 2nd Lt, William P. Kelley Jr., was last seen near target with two engines a fire when it went down. Two chutes were seen to leave the ship.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Annemijn Vierdag, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com, www.archives.gov, Buffalo newspaper - 2 January 1944
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Annemijn Vierdag