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name
HILTON, Gerald Otto - Date of
birth
7 March 1920 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Kirkwood, St. Louis County, Missouri -
Hometown
Kirkwood, St. Louis County, Missouri
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-689109 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
534th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
19 April 1944 - Place of
death
2 km southeast of Frettenrode, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 3 | 35 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Fred M. Hilton (father)
Anna D. (Harris) Hilton (mother)
Kathryn M. Hilton (sister)
Joseph M. Hilton (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3525 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Eschwege, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 4050
More information
2nd Lt Gerald O. Hilton graduated from Kirkwood High School and was employed by the St. Louis Ordnance Plant before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in St. Louis, Missouri on 2 April 1942.After the airplane was attacked by German fighters, it made a 180 degree righthand turn and started to go down.
Two crew members were taken prisoner. Seven men were killed and were initially buried at the cemetery of Frettenrode, Germany.
According to one of the surviving crew members, Lt Hilton was wounded by fighter fire but managed to bail out. What happened after, he couldn't tell.
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 - 1930/1940 Census / Naomi Marie Graber Family Tree, U.S., Headstone and Interment Record, www.newspapers.com - The St Louis Star and Times 18 July 1944, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.findagrave.com - dfr / Aviation Cadet Class 43-11, www.newspapers.com - St. Louis Post-Dispatch / The St Louis Star and Times 18 July 1944