Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
COLE, Jesse Wilson - Date of
birth
1 May 1924 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Smithfield, Johnston County, North Carolina -
Hometown
Sanford, Lee County, North Carolina
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
34854210 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Left Waist Gunner -
Unit
853rd Bombardment Squadron,
491st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
26 November 1944 - Place of
death
Hannorver, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 19 | 20 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Thomas R. Cole Jr. (father)
Mary (Parker) Cole (mother)
Mary J. Cole (sister)
Betty R. Cole (sister)
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
S/Sgt Jesse W. Cole attended the College of Pharmacy of the University of North Carolina in 1943.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on 13 December 1943.
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 how 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, Rootsweb, Missing Aircrew Report 11158, WWII Draft Card, 1940 US Census
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, North Carolina University 1943