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Personal info

Full name
MC FARLAND, Archie J
Date of birth
6 December 1923
Age
20
Place of birth
Gratiot County, Michigan
Hometown
St. Louis, Gratiot County, Michigan

Military service

Service number
36417760
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner
Unit
349th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
12 June 1944
Place of death
North Sea, 9 miles off Dunkerque, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Archie J. Mc Farland (father)
Minnie C. Mc Farland (mother)
Bernice Mc Farland (sister)
Rena Mc Farland (sister)
Florence Mc Farland (sister)
Laura Mc Farland (sister)
Ilah Mc Farland (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
43-37601
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Rosières-en-Santerre, France
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 5625

More information

S/Sgt Archie J. McFarland enlisted in Kalamazoo, Michigan on 6 January 1943. He attended high school for 4 years.

The crew was on their first mission.

The aircraft was hit by flak over Dunkerque at 08.53 hours at 24,000 feet. The #4 engine caught fire and the right wing broke off near the the #4 engine inducing a spin. Five or six parachutes may have come from this aircraft.

The only surviver, George L. Sherback had no recollection of leaving the plane and believed he must have been blown clear. A German officer told him the plane exploded and the remains of the other crew members went into the sea.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.100thbg.com, National WWIImemorial, Footnote, www.fold3.com - MACR

Photo source: www.100thbg.com