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Personal info

Full name
HOFFMAN, Warren Franklin "Sonny"
Date of birth
7 July 1918
Age
25
Place of birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Hometown
Lake County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
36033248
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
333rd Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
17 July 1943
Place of death
Near Helgoland, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
John A. Hoffman (father)
Martha A. Hoffman (mother)
Winifred P. Hoffman (sister)
Winona A. Hoffmann (sister)
Rose F. (Perpich) Hoffman (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-3219
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Dear Mom
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the aircraft industry
MACR: 93

More information

S/Sgt Warren F. Hoffman was a carpenter apprentice.

He enlisted in Chicago, Illinois on 27 May 1941.

He was married to Rose Frances Perpich in Chicago, Illinois on 23 March 1942.

The element originally designated to attack Hamburg was a combined force of 125 B-17's, but weather caused a recall of this formation. However 84 B-17's from 94BG (18), 95BG (23), 96BG (21) and 100BG (22) sighted a German ship convoy on the return. Only one B-17 from BG96 managed to drop on the convoy. Another segment of this formation, 385BG (21) and 388BG (20) attempted to bomb the Fokker aircraft factory at Amsterdam. Ao total of 22 aircraft attempted the bombing, but the results were highly scattered and 150 civilians were killed. 1 B-17 from 94BG, aircraft 42-3219, was shot down by enemy aircraft (2 engines were hit) near Helgoland, Germany.

The entire crew was killed. Every crew member, with the exception of waist gunner Everett A. Quimby is remembered on the Walls of the Missing at Margraten. We have no information why he isn't mentioned.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, André Koch, John J. Ladd (nephew), www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment record, www.fold3.com - Macr 93, http://www.8thafhs.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Cencus / Cook County, Illinois, Birth certificates index 1871-1922

Photo source: André Koch, Joe Hoffman