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name
RAMIREZ, Manuel Avilla - Date of
birth
22 June 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona -
Hometown
Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19109222 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
732nd Bombardment Squadron,
453rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
8 May 1944 - Place of
death
1 km northeast of Ovelgönne, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 24 | 3 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Pablo M. Ramirez (father)
Juanita (Rodriguez) Ramirez (mother)
Refugia Ramirez (sister)
Vincente Ramirez (brother)
Pablo Ramirez (brother)
Josefa Ramirez (sister)
Carmen Ramirez (sister)
Irene Ramirez (sister)
Juanita Ramirez (sister)
Salvator Ramirez (brother)
Augustin Ramirez (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-52298 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Choo Choo Baby / Jelly Belly
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the industrial area
MACR: 4596
More information
S/Sgt Manuel A. Ramirez worked on a farm.He volunteered for the Army of the United States in Phoenix, Arizona on 4 November 1942.
The aircraft was hit by flak. S/Sgt. Ramirez was last seen lying at the right waist gun. The tail gunner, Walter Spencer, passed him on the way out and observed that the right side of his head and face was partially shot away. His opinion was that T/Sgt. Pryor was dead or dying at that time.
Two crew members, S/Sgt. Ramirez and T/Sgt. Pryor were found dead inside the plane.
They were initially buried at the village cemetery Winsen, Germany on 13 May 1944.
Other sources state that the airplane was either rammed by a German fighter whose pilot was believed to have been dead at the controls or riddled by shots from German fighters.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / 1940 Census
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.americanairmuseum.com