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Personal info

Full name
GRENO, Paul Joseph
Date of birth
4 August 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
O-817662
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
66th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
6 August 1944
Place of death
Buxtehude, southwest of Hamburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Peter F. Greno (father)
Helen C. (Soukup) Greno (mother)
Francis P. Greno (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-95561
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Stormy Weather
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Rheunania Ossag oil refinery
MACR: 8081

More information

1st Lt Paul J. Greno worked for the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 17 September 1942. He was commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded his wings of a pilot at Turner Field, Georgia in December 1943.

The aircraft was hit by flak just after the target and went into a tight spin. Two parachutes were seen at first and then eight more. The pilot apparently was able to pull it out of the spin once or twice, and then it went into a dive again. The plane was seen to blow up on crashing in the target area.

Six crew members survived and were taken prisoner. Five men were killed.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Carla Mans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Pennsylvania Veteran Compensation Applications WWII / 1940 Census / Family Trees, www.fold3.com - WWII Registration Card, www.newspapers.com - The Pittsburgh Press

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Pauline (Greno) Kumpfmiller (niece) / Sheree Dowdle