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Personal info

Full name
SCHILLINGER, Fred C
Date of birth
26 October 1924
Age
19
Place of birth
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
13128119
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator
Unit
349th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
6 March 1944
Place of death
Hollwedel, 25 miles southeast of Oldenburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 37 18

Immediate family

Members
Frederick C. Schillinger (father)
Emma M. (Brink) Schillinger (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30799
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Big Ass Bird II
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of Friedrichstrasse railroad station
MACR: 3017

More information

S/Sgt Fred C. Schillinger was a musician before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania on 16 November 1942.

The airplane was attacked by enemy aircraft and went straight down into undercast with the tail on fire. All engines seemed OK. No parachutes were observed. Three crew members were killed, seven were taken prisoner.

He was dressing wounds of the tail gunner Mahlon A. Hall and remained with the plane too long after going into a spin.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.usaafdata.com, www.8thafhs.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Brink/Craig Family Tree

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Michel Beckers/Michael Faley 100thBG