Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
THOMPSON, Max K Jr
Date of birth
13 June 1918
Age
26
Place of birth
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Hometown
Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Ohio

Military service

Service number
15097772
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator
Unit
511th Bombardment Squadron,
351st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
6 August 1944
Place of death
1 km southwest of Wust, 2 km east of Brandenburg-Havel, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 28 18

Immediate family

Members
Max K. Thompson (father)
Gladys M. (Meeks) Thompson (mother)
Byron W. Thompson (brother)
Evelyn Thompson (sister)
Paul D. Thompson (brother)
Aleen A. Thompson (wife)
Carol A. Thompson (daughter)
Bonnie E. Thompson (daughter)

Plane data

Serial number
42-107046
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Screw Ball
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of an aircraft factory
MACR: 7584

More information

Max K. Thompson Jr. graduated from North Side High School in 1936 and Evansville College in 1941. He was employed at Feigel Construction Corporation.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army reserve in Cincinnati, Ohio on 21 July 1942.
The airplane was hit by flak. Five crew members were able to bail out, the remaining four were killed.

Surviving crew members reports indicate that S/Sgt Thompson was last seen, just prior to the airplane exploding, attempting to secure his parachute. He failed to do so and was killed in the crash.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.usaafdata.com, www.8thafhs.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Schellenbach/Adams Family Tree

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Luc van der Sterren, Evansville College 1941