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name
KUCHER, Peter - Date of
birth
27 January 1917 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Windber County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
33286445 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator -
Unit
534th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
7 January 1944 - Place of
death
Schiffweiler, near Saarbrücken, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 41 | 53 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Michael K. Kucher (father)
Anna (Melnyk) Kucher (mother)
Paul Kucher (brother)
Mary Kucher (sister)
Mike Kucher (brother)
Elsie Kucher (sister)
Agnes (Malesky) Kucher (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3078 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Winsome Winn
Destination: Ludwigshaven, Germany
Mission: Bombing of IG Farben oil refinery
MACR: 1873
More information
S/Sgt Peter Kucher was a coal miner before he enlisted in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 31 July 1942.Just after passing over the target, A/C 42-3078 was seen with #1 engine smoking after it was hit by flak. It held position for about five minutes, then slowly dropped behind formation. Shortly after it was attacked by three enemy fighters, the aircraft caught fire in #1 and #2 engines and the crew was ordered to bail out. Nine men were able to bail out before the airplane exploded and crashed. One men's parachute didn't open. Surviving crew member reports indicate that S/Sgt Peter Kucher was killed in the fighter attacks when he was hit in the chest by a 20 mm shell.
In total two men were killed and eight survived and were taken prisoner.
S/Sgt Peter Kucher was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of St. Avold, France.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Kathy McDermott, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.usaafdata.com, www.8thafhs.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950 / U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil
Photo source: Jac Engels, www.findagrave.com - Tx*Oma, Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph - 12 February 1944