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Personal info

Full name
SIMON, Gustaf Joseph
Date of birth
3 April 1913
Age
30
Place of birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Hometown
Kane County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
36185208
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
358th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 February 1944
Place of death
500 meters to the right of the road to Langsdorf
Hungen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 24 15

Immediate family

Members
William Simon (father)
Carol Simon (mother)
Josephine Simon (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31239
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Schweinfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Vereinigte Kugellagerfabriken (VKF) - ball bearing industry
MACR: 2763

More information

S/Sgt Gustaf J. Simon worked in a factory for electrical machinery.

He enlisted in Traverse City, Michigan on 10 July 1942.

The airplane was reported being attacked by an ME-109 which dove out of the sun. Another report attributed the loss to a rocket hit on the nose. It blew up in mid-air.

Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner, eight were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Carla Mans, 303rdBomberGroup.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men

Photo source: 303rdBomberGroup.com, www.findagrave.com - patootie