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Personal info

Full name
SANDNESS, Ervin Arnold
Date of birth
22 August 1923
Age
21
Place of birth
Frost, Faribault County, Minnesota
Hometown
Frost, Faribault County, Minnesota

Military service

Service number
37558205
Rank
Private First Class
Function
unknown
Unit
155th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion,
17th Airborne Division
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 March 1945
Place of death
North of Wesel, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
E 21 20

Immediate family

Members
Gerhard S. Sandness (father)
Josephine (Amundson) Sandness (mother)
Evelyn Sandness (sister)
Gladys J. Sandness (sister)
Shirley Sandness (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
unknown
Data
unknown

More information

Pfc Sandness was a passenger in the glider with serialnumber 43-41470 with destination Landing Zone S, north of Wesel, Germany.

The glider pilots who returned had no knowledge of what had happened to the Pilot and Co-Pilot of this glider, or of the glider. This glider was released over the landing zone at 1115 hours and was last seen as it entered the smoke over the landing zone and was not observed after that. Most likely it was shot down over the landing zone.

The crew of two men and three passengers were all killed.

The passengers were members of HQ Battery and Medical Detachment of the 155th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 17th Airborne Division.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record, www.ww2-airborne.us, www.ancestry.com - Birth Index

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Joek Hulsmann.