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name
BOYNTON, Hugh - Date of
birth
31 October 1918 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Duxbury, Washington County, Vermont -
Hometown
Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
31239474 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Left Waist Gunner -
Unit
567th Bombardment Squadron,
389th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
21 June 1944 - Place of
death
6 km northwest of Luckenwalde, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
James K.A. Boynton (father)
Ellen V. (Burke) Boynton (mother)
Monica Boynton (sister)
James T. Boynton (brother)
Ralph Boynton (brother)
Patricia Boynton (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-50371 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 6532
More information
S/Sgt Hugh Boynton graduated from Wareham High School in 1934 and was employed by Cranberry Canners at the Onset plant.He enlisted in Boston, Massachusetts on 16 December 1942.
The airplane was attacked over the target by approximately 20 to 40 enemy fighters. Eight crew members survived. One crew member, 2nd Lt Roger E. Peterson, died two days later and is buried at Ardennes Cemetery.
Survivors statements indicate that he was hit by flak which threw him in the ball turret. When he was last seen, he was still there with flames all around him. German records indicate he was found dead within the aircraft at the time of the crash.
German records also reveal that he was interred in the Community Cemetery of Gottdorf, near Luckenwalde. Other records show that he was buried at Quenz Cemetery in Brandenburg and that he was brought to the Ardennes War Cemetery for identification. In 1947 all remains of American deceased, found at the cemetery, 18 in total were evacuated to Ardennes Cemetery for identification. Most of the remains were listed as Unknown and were never identified.
His second picture was taken in high school in 1934.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Michel Beckers, Astrid van Erp, Terry Hirsch, www.389thbg.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, IDPF of Edwin F. Willert, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees
Photo source: Jac Engels, Lynda Ames - Wareham Free Library