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name
SOMERHALDER, Walter Robert - Date of
birth
7 November 1920 -
Age
24 -
Place of birth
Gridley, Coffey County, Kansas -
Hometown
Gridley, Coffey County, Kansas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
T-006919 -
Rank
Flight Officer -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
577th Bombardment Squadron,
392nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
9 February 1945 - Place of
death
North Sea
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 17 | 10 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John Somerhalder (father)
Lydia B. (Freidinger) Somerhalder (mother)
Joseph J. Somerhalder (brother)
Elizebeth A. Somerhalder (sister)
Velma J. Somerhalder (sister)
Kenneth V. Somerhalder (brother)
Louis R. Somerhalder (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-28841 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: The Philly Folly
Destination: Magdeburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the BRABAG oil refinery
MACR: 12216
More information
1st Lt K.E. Cline, gave a brief account on last seeing this aircraft: "Aircraft 841 was seen to peel off and head back toward the Continent at 1354 hours (52-40N; 04-15E) at 14,000 feet. Ship was probably low on gas."There were no German reports on this loss or other U.S. force sightings. It is speculated beyond a reasonable doubt that this aircraft and crew went down in the North Sea. This reasoning stems from the fact that the bodies of four crewmen eventually washed ashore.
The entire crew of nine was killed.
On 25 June 1945, F/O Somerhalder washed ashore on the Dutch coast.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Carla Mans, www.B24.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Bertha Avery-Hood