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Personal info

Full name
ADAMS, Charles A
Date of birth
8 September 1922
Age
21
Place of birth
Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
13113209
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Right Waist Gunner
Unit
367th Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
14 October 1943
Place of death
Marköbel, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 1 57

Immediate family

Members
Charles A. Adams (father)
Margaret M. Adams (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-37720
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Jackie Ellen
Destination: Schweinfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the ball bearing plants
MACR: 823

More information

S/Sgt Charles A. Adams volunteered for the Air Corps of the U.S. Army in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 1 September 1942.

He was killed on his 24th mission.

It was one of the first planes to go down on the mission. Enemy aircraft attacked the plane and an explosion broke it in half at the radio room.
All were lost except the radio operator, T/Sgt Joseph C. Bocelli, who was taken prisoner.

The plane crashed near the town of Marköbel. As it crashed, two bombs exploded and the plane burned.

Initially, all the deceased crew members were buried in a common grave at the cemetery of Marköbel on 15 October 1943.

On 18 february 1946, these bodies were reburied at the American Military Cemetery of St. Avold, Lorraine. The body of S/Sgt Adams was marked as Unknown X-1662. Then the body was disinterred on 12 July 1948 and transported to Ardennes for identification. After comparison of tooth charts, he could be identified.

S/Sgt Adams was given his final resting place on 27 July 1950.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.306thbw.org, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancesgtry.com - Veteran Compansation Application File

Photo source: www.findagrave.com