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name
ALMLIE, Harlan Carlyle - Date of
birth
20 October 1917 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Seely, Faribault County, Minnesota -
Hometown
Bricelyn, Faribault County, Minnesota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-676714 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
66th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
13 November 1943 - Place of
death
Ijsselmeer, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Iver L. Almlie (father)
Cora M. (Gullord) Almlie (mother)
Mildred Almlie (sister)
Jane Almlie (sister)
Lynn Almlie (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-40973 -
Data
Type: B-24
Nickname: Battleaxe
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1375
More information
1st Lt Harlan C. Almlie graduated from Bricelyn High School in 1935 and worked on a farm.He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, on 7 December 1940.
The squadron reported that at the IP, slight inaccurate flak was encountered at 24,000 feet. Bombs were away at 1147 hours. Over the target, flak was slight and inaccurate and fighter opposition slackened due to support of P-38s.
From the target out to the coast, flak again was inaccurate, spasmodic.
This airplane was last seen flying in a diamond formation with the group to within 20 minutes from the English coast. One engine was smoking heavily, and the aircraft was gliding down under control. Air Sea Rescue Service was notified as soon as crews were interrogated, but there were no eyewitnesses to a ditching or crash of this aircraft. It seems most likely that they ditched, as later bodies of two crew members were found.
The entire crew of ten men was killed.
Lt Almlie is remembered at Bricelyn Cemetery in Bricelyn, Faribault County, Minnesota, with a memorial marker.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.44thbombgroup.org, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Leveille Family Tree
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.findagrave.com - Thomas Rodedahl, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-D, Goodfellow Field, Texas, The Bricelyn Sentinel - 2 December 1943, www.findagrave.com - Lovise