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name
MC GILLIVRAY, Harold Arthur - Date of
birth
5 February 1910 -
Age
33 - Place of
birth
Junius, Lake County, South Dakota -
Hometown
Junius, Lake County, South Dakota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37149469 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator -
Unit
337th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
21 May 1943 - Place of
death
Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
John A. Mc Gillivray (father)
Daisy Mc Gillivray (mother)
Mabel Mc Gillivray (sister)
Ruby Mc Gillivray (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-29734 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Emden, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 3685
More information
T/Sgt Harold A. Mc Gillivray entered the service 6 March 1942.Determined to minimize the U-Boat threat in the North Antlantic, the 96 attacked Emden for the second time in 5 days. But this time the Luftwaffe attacked the 4 Bomb Wing with 75-100 interceptors. The enemy began his assault over the North Sea as the Wing approached the continent and pursued the formation to the target and then resumed attacks until the Fortresses were well out over the sea on their return. There were no aborts and all 22 planes bombed well. But the Luftwaffe claimed its second victim in the crew of Captain Gilbert Stephenson. It was a telling loss for Captain Stephenson had led the Group on most of its 5 missions. His AC 42-29734 of the 337 had been flying in the 2# slot in the Lead Squadron when it was attacked. Witnesses saw it catch fire and altough a consensus of opinion at the debriefing reported nine chutes, the plane exploded at 4000 feet and, just as it was about to hit the water, a wing came off. Actually everyone perished.
The Aircraft hit the North Sea 70 Miles of the Frisian Islands.
Source of information: André Koch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR 3685,
http://www.8thafhs.com, http://96bg.org/Newsletter/61.pdf, http://mva.sd.gov/sdwwiimemorial,
www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census
Photo source: André Koch, www.findagrave.com - Khoward, http://mva.sd.gov/sdwwiimemorial