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Personal info

Full name
COWGILL, Edwin
Date of birth
5 November 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio
Hometown
Marion County, Ohio

Military service

Service number
35223185
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Top Turret Gunner/Engineer
Unit
613th Bombardment Squadron,
401st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
20 April 1945
Place of death
Near Brandenburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 7 37

Immediate family

Members
John Cowgill (father)
Rella (White) Cowgill (mother)
Lila M. Cowgill (sister)
Mary A. Cowgill (sister)
Elwood Cowgill (brother)
Dorothy B. Cowgill (sister)
Adeline Cowgill (sister)
Clair Cowgill (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
43-39125
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Der Grossarschvogel
Destination: Brandenburg, Germany
MACR: 14174

More information

Edwin Cowgill graduated from Martel High School in 1943.

He was sent overseas on 25 March 1944.

The weather was clear, and bombing patterns were believed to have covered the aiming points, but smoke and ground haze made it difficult to assess the damage. There was considerable flak over the target area, and the airplane was hit in the right wing, causing a fire in the No. 4 engine. The aircraft then pulled out of the formation and salvoed its bombs, but the wing quickly burned off, and the aircraft rolled into a spin. Five of the crew were killed in the crash.

Source of information: Carla Mans, www.ancestry.com - 1920 Census, The Marion Star - 30 April 1946

Photo source: www.findagrave.com