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Personal info

Full name
SCHUSTER, William Henry
Date of birth
4 December 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Wyandotte, Wayne County, Michigan
Hometown
Garden City, Wayne County, Michigan

Military service

Service number
O-829570
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
577th Bombardment Squadron,
392nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
28 January 1945
Place of death
Near Garbeck, southwest of Balve, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 22 7

Immediate family

Members
Michael Schuster (father)
Susan (Thomas) Schuster (mother)
Michael Schuster (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-50868
Data
Type: B-24H
Destination: Dortmund, Germany
Mission: Bombing of bridges, benzol plants and marshalling yards
MACR: 11996

More information

2nd Lt William H. Schuster graduated from Fordson High School. He was a metal worker.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Detroit, Michigan on 9 December 1942.

The aircraft collided in mid-air with another B-24 #42-95164. Both aircraft went down. Four parachutes were seen. The entire crew of ten was killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, Michel Beckers, www.B24.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, WWII Draft Card, Lutheran Church Records

Photo source: 392nd Bomb Group, Mireille Goedhart, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-H, Stamford Flying School, Arledge, Texas