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Personal info

Full name
VOEHRINGER, Paul W
Date of birth
3 June 1916
Age
27
Place of birth
Schenectady, Schenectady County, New York
Hometown
Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin

Military service

Service number
O-732191
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
603rd Bombardment Squadron,
398th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 May 1944
Place of death
Jungfernheide railway station
Berlin, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 41 32

Immediate family

Members
Frederick Voehringer (father)
Frieda Voehringer (mother)
Rudolph G. Voehringer (brother)
Dolores E. (Frisch) Voehringer (wife)
Marlene Voehringer (daughter)

Plane data

Serial number
42-107231
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 5252

More information

1st Lt Paul W. Voehringer graduated from Ballston Spa High School in 1936. He was employed at P. William N. Wieboldt Funeral Parlors in San Francisco.

He joined the Regular Army service in November 1940 and was sent to Alaska. He returned to the United States at the outbreak of the war and entered the Air Force. He served as a bombardier instructor at Rapid City after receiving his wings. He was sent overseas in April 1944.

Statement of 2nd Lt D. B. Farnsworth:
"On 24 May 1944 I was flying in no two position on the leader of the low squadron of the high group. At approximately 1103, between the IP and the target, I glanced out of my ship at about one o’clock and saw that the group leader had been hit and had an engine on fire. I do not remember which engine was burning, but it was a large mass of orange flame. The lead ship was out of control and fell out of formation in a steep spiral. It soon passed from my range of vision and I did not see it again."

The airplane was hit by flak in the nr 3 and 4 engine and exploded. Three crew members were taken prisoner, eight were killed.

The deceased men were initially buried at the POW Cemetery of Elsgrund-Döbertiz between 25 and 28 May.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.398th.org, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com - MACR

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Michel Beckers / Geoff Rice-398th Web Team