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name
KUNKEL, John Alvin - Date of
birth
3 May 1920 -
Age
25 -
Place of birth
Lower Alsace, Berks County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Lower Alsace, Berks County, Pennsylvania -
Ethnicity
White
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
13029003 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
unknown -
Unit
567th Bombardment Squadron,
389th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Death
-
Status
Died non-Battle - 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
Charles A. Kunkel (father)
Amy G. Kunkel (mother)
More information
T/Sgt John A. Kunkel was a paymaster.He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 4 September 1941.
T/Sgt Kunkel was a flight engineer 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.
T/Sgt Kunkel was one of the 15 passengers on this flight with a B-24J with serialnumber 44-10620.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, Raf Dyckmans, Carla Mans, www.389thbg.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Pennsylvania Church Record / Family Tree
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com - West Reading High School 1937 / jdouglass78 / Karen Lincke