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name
BASARA, Milan - Date of
birth
28 January 1924 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa -
Hometown
Cook County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36735307 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner -
Unit
613th Bombardment Squadron,
401st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
18 March 1945 - Place of
death
Rosche, Uelzener Landkreis, Niedersachsen, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 19 | 14 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Milan Basara (father)
Helen Basara (mother)
Mildred Basara (sister)
Nikola Basara (brother)
Zorka Basara (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-38607 -
Data
Nickname: Lady Jane II
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing od the marshalling yards,
MACR: 13137
More information
For the first time in a number of missions, the Group encountered enemy aircraft--this time jets! Six Me-262 jets flew through the formation, shooting down one 401st aircraft and damaging another. The Group also flew into accurate flak, which resulted in major battle damage to two aircraft and minor damage to fifteen others.The downed 401st ship was B-17 No. 43-38607 ("Lady Jane II"), piloted by Lt David E. Vermeer. After being hit by fire from an enemy jet aircraft, the B-17 continued over the target and then fell off on one wing out of the formation. However, the ship was able to make it most of the way out of Germany but was again attacked by Luftwaffe Me-262s after American fighter escort planes had left. Lt Vermeer then gave the bailout signal and six of the nine crew members parachuted to safety--and captivity. The pilot, togglier and radio operator did not exit the ship and were killed in the crash.
His parents were both born in Yugoslavia.
Source of information: Michel Beckers, Nico Leers, Laura Phillips, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / 1940 Census, www.findagrave.com
Photo source: Jac Engels, Michel Beckers/Mildred Sturgis