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name
NELSON, Samuel Virt - Date of
birth
21 May 1923 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Sherman, Grayson County, Texas -
Hometown
Bexar County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
18106455 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
326th Bombardment Squadron,
92nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
23 March 1944 - Place of
death
Nateln over Werl, near Münster, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 2 | 39 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John R. Nelson (father)
Willie R. (Brackhey) Nelson (mother)
Dorothy L. Nelson (sister)
John R. Nelson (brother)
William C. Nelson (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31455 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Münster, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 3414
More information
The aircraft was shot down at Nateln over Werl near Münster, Germany.Newspaper account:
"Nephew of Miss Clara Nelson, 608 Fillmore Street, and former resident of Amarillo, Technical Sgt. Sam Nelson, 20, has been reported killed in a bombing raid over Münster, Germany. The War Department had notified Sergeant Nelson's family that he had been missing in action since March 23.
"Sergeant Nelson, who was a waist gunner on a Flying Fortress, volunteered on Dec. 7, 1942. A member of the 92nd Bomber Group of the Eighth Air Force, Sergeant Nelson graduated from Amarillo Field and trained at Sioux City, Ia., and Santa Ana, Cal. While living in Amarillo, Sergeant Nelson attended Horace Mann School. His two brothers, John R. and Bill, are both gunners' mates in the Navy. His father, John R. Nelson, now lives in San Antonio. Sergeant Nelson was a cousin of Mrs. Murry Watts, Mrs. Dewey Randall, and Mrs. Mary Tucker, all of Amarillo."
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Carla Mans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.newspapers.com - The Amarillo Globe-Times, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, www.newspapers.com - The Amarillo Globe-Times