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Personal info

Full name
MCGARRY, Joseph D "Joe"
Date of birth
26 September 1909
Age
33
Place of birth
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Worcester County, Massachusetts

Military service

Service number
31078353
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Unit
548th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Died non-Battle
Date of death
28 July 1943
Place of death
unknown

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 13 20

Immediate family

Members
Mildred L. McGarry (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30257
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Lady Susie II
Destination: Oschersleben, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Focke Wulf aviation industry
MACR: 189

More information

Airplane 42-30257, 42-3316 and 42-30285 were flying in an echelon on a combat mission. Off Heligoland, at a time when visibility was poor, ship 30257 was struck by flak at a point in the fuselage about where the Navigator sits. Part of the fuselage was blown away and the plane was thrown up into ship 42-3316. These two planes locked together for probably 30 seconds and fell into ship 42-30285. All went down together and blew up.

Of the crew of ten, seven were killed in the crash and three survived.

T/Sgt Joseph D. McGarry bailed out and was taken prisoner but was killed the same day according to the available records.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.findagrave.com, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – World War II Prisoners of War Data File, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, www.fold3.com, http://wwii-pows.mooseroots.com/l/112562/Joseph-D-McGarry

Photo source: www.findagrave.com