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name
ODEGARD, Alfred William - Date of
birth
27 November 1918 -
Age
26 -
Place of birth
Spokane County, Washington -
Hometown
Jocko, Flathead County, Montana -
Ethnicity
White
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19072135 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
unknown -
Unit
567th Bombardment Squadron,
389th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
7 May 1945 - Place of
death
Engers Bridge
Koblenz, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Knute Odegard (father)
Kate E. Odegard (mother)
Kenneth Odegard (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
unknown -
Data
unknown
More information
Pfc Alfred W. Odegard graduated from Flathead High School and worked on a farm.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Butte, Montana on 13 July 1942.
He was an airplane engine mechanic with the 567th Bomber Squadron
Trolley missions were flown in early May 1945. The purpose being to provide all crew and ground personnel the opportunity to see the results of their contribution in the strategic air war against Germany. Many precautions were taken on these missions, and the most responsible and experienced pilots were chosen to fly. There were no trolley missions flown in bad weather. Despite such precautions, accidents occurred, such as this.
The crew decided to circle the cathedral in Koblenz. Presumably the airplane unfortunately flew much too low and collided with supply lines, which were stretched over the river Rhine. Due to the low altitude an evasive maneuver of the airplane was not possible any more. The plane crashed into one of the bridge piers.
All nineteen men aboard were killed, and the remains of only six of them were recovered.
Pfc Odegard was one of the 15 passengers on this flight with a B-24J with serialnumber 44-10620.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Carla Mans, www.389thbg.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young men, Daily Inter Lake
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, www.e-yearbook.com - Flathead County High School Yearbook 1936, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-J, Stamford Army Flying School, Texas