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name
TANTUM, William Roland - Date of
birth
27 October 1914 -
Age
29 -
Place of birth
Groveville, Mercer County, New Jersey -
Hometown
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32077912 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
577th Bombardment Squadron,
392nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
4 January 1944 - Place of
death
North Sea, off the coast of Langeness, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 6 | 3 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William Tantum (father)
Catherine Tantum (mother)
Marvin Tantum (brother)
Edmund Tantum (brother)
Clifford Tantum (brother)
Margery Tantum (sister)
Carl Tantum (brother)
Marjorie C. (Huff) Tantum (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-7482 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Shack Rat
Destination: Kiel, Germany
MACR: 1908
More information
S/Sgt William R. Tantum enlisted in Camden, New Jersey on 31 July 1942.No specific 392nd crew eye-witness account is detailed concerning the loss of this aircrew and plane. A German report, #KU623 of the mission date, 4 January, notes that this particular ship was found crashed in the North Sea at 1300 hours just off the small island of Langeness after having exploded in the air. Five dead crew members were located in this wreckage and the probable cause of the shoot-down was fighter aircraft. No other account exists on further circumstances of the crew's loss.
William Tantum was buried on 12 January 1944 at 1500 hours in the Nordmarschers Cemetery on the island of Langeness.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.B24.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, WWII Draft Card, 1920 US Census
Photo source: www.findagrave.com