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name
REUTENER, William Edgar - Date of
birth
1925 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
unknown -
Hometown
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
15140449 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Waist Gunner -
Unit
853rd Bombardment Squadron,
491st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
26 November 1944 - Place of
death
Hannover, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 4 | 8 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Edgar W. Reutener (father)
Mary E. (Houden) Reutener (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-40212 -
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: The Easy Way
Destination: Misburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Deurag synthetic fuel plant
MACR: 11158
More information
William E. Reutener attended Fairview High School.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio on 11 May 1943 and was sent overseas in February 1944.
The target of that day for 57 B-24's was the synthetic oil refinery in Misburg but 26 bombed the marshalling yard of Hannover as target of opportunity.
The B-24's were attacked by enemy fighter planes and without any doubt were the target the target of anti-aircraft fire. Due to the number of shot down airplanes in the immediate vicinity of both targets, the exact location of the crash of this airplane is uncertain.
However, the records mention the names of crew members of this and other aircraft who were initially buried at the cemetery of Hannover-Seelhorst. It therefore can be assumed that this aircraft crashed close to his target.
Two crew members were taken prisoners, seven men were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, NARA, Missing Aircrew Report 11158
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, The Plain Dealer - 7 January 1945