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Personal info

Full name
WOOD, Merle S
Date of birth
June 1915
Age
28
Place of birth
Buffalo, Erie County, New York
Hometown
Buffalo, Erie County, New York

Military service

Service number
O-809514
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
364th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
5 January 1944
Place of death
Wadden Sea, near Cuxhaven, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Arthur E. Wood (father)
Elizabeth M. (Cristall) Wood (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30724
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Devastating Dottie
Destination: Kiel, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the U-boat yards and industrial area
MACR: 1685

More information

2nd Lt Merle S. Wood graduated from Lafayette High School 204 in Buffalo, New York in 1934 and was an assistant department manager of Sattlers, Inc.

He joined the U.S. Army Reserve in Buffalo, New York on 23 June 1942.

He aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters and last seen at 1150 north of Cuxhaven apparently under control but down very low and turning back towards land.

All ten crew members bailed out. Nine were taken prisoner. Lt Wood must have landed into the water. He was the only casualty.

Source of information: André Koch, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com - Macr 1685, http://305thbombgroup.com/305th%20Aircraft%203.html, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, Bruckheimers Ruslanders Lowensteins and more

Photo source: André Koch