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Personal info

Full name
READ, Thomas
Date of birth
21 August 1920
Age
22
Place of birth
Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland
Hometown
Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
O-799070
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
366th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

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

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
D 2 17

Immediate family

Members
Elkins Read (father)
Lida M. Read (mother)
Elkins Read Jr. (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-29553
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Arkie II
Target: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic oil plant
MACR: 252

More information

Thomas Read graduated from Ebensburg High School and attended Duke University when he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. while a student at Duke University.

He graduated at Turner Field as a pilot in March 1943.

The airplane was hit by flak and attacked by enemy fighters. Eight crew members were killed, two men survived and were taken prisoner.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930 Census, Duke Alumni Register / Veteran Compensation Application File

Photo source: Tom Verheijden, www.ancestry.com - Cambria High School Yearbook 1938 / Duke Alumni Register