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Personal info

Full name
GORDONI, Charles Kenneth
Date of birth
17 February 1924
Age
19
Place of birth
Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware
Hometown
New Castle County, Delaware
Religion
Jewish

Military service

Service number
13124793
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator
Unit
409th Bombardment Squadron,
93rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
4 January 1944
Place of death
2km Southwest of Suderschmedeby, south of Flensburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 44 56

Immediate family

Members
Nathanniel Goldstein (father)
Lillian Gordoni (mother)
Gordon M. Gordoni (brother)
Earle S. Goldstein (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
41-23810
Data
Type: B-24D
Destination: Kiel, Germany
Mission: Bombing of of the port area
MACR: 8342

More information

Charles K. Gordini graduated from Pierre S. duPont High School, where he was active in dramatics.

He enlisted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 7 November 1942; together with his brother Don under the name of their mother, Lillian Gordoni.

Statement T/Sgt Thomas J. Adams
"Our plane crashed because the control cables had been shot in two by anti-aircraft fire. Of course the plane went down in a spin, and there was not much time to get out, therefore we that were in good condition could not aid those that had been wounded and could not help themselves. The aircraft crashed 2 km southwest of Suderschmedeby, south of Flensburg".
Sgt Cornelius Pas and four unidentified American Airmen were buried on the Cemetery Friedenshugel in Flensburg on 8 January 1944.

His brother Don is memorialized on the walls of the Missing at Margraten American War Cemetery.

Another brother Earle also served with the U.S. Army Air Corps in Europe.

Source of information: Astrid van Erp, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Various Family Trees / WWII Enlistment Records, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.newspapers.com - The News Journal, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The News Journal