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Submit- Full
name
RILEY, George F - Date of
birth
15 December 1917 -
Age
26 -
Place of birth
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York City, New York -
Hometown
Queens, Queens County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
12026065 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Assistant Radio Operator -
Unit
512th Bombardment Squadron,
376th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
17 June 1944 - Place of
death
South of Samorin, Czechoslovakia
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 11 | 51 |
Immediate family
-
Members
George A. Riley (father)
Catherine V. (Geoghan) Riley (mother)
Edward C. Riley (brother)
Mary Ann Riley (sister)
Patricia Riley (sister)
Richard Riley (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-29294 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Miss Minerva II
Destination: Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Mission: Bombing of oil facilities
MACR: 6033
More information
George F. Riley was a shipping and receiving clerk.He joined the Regular Army in New York City, New York on 11 February 1941.
The mission took place on 16 June 1944.
Statement of Sgt Joseph C. Prater, crew member of another B-24 in the group: "I was flying as tail gunner on a ship just above and to the right of plane number 26. I first noticed a man coming out of the right waist window. A moment later I saw two more men leave the ship. The first two men opened their chutes quickly and the slip stream hit the open chutes and twisted them up and I saw the men going down without their chutes opening. The third man’s chute was on fire in the shroud lines and he dropped when the chute left him. The ship then swing under me and to the right of our ship burning furiously in the bomb bay and wings. Just before the ship fell apart I noticed three more men leave. I followed them as far down as I could but saw no chutes open. The ship fell apart then the wing came off and the fuselage breaking in half. It was burning all the way down until it hit the earth. I don’t see how any of the men got the earth safely."
Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner. Eight men were killed.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Tom Red Family Tree / 1940 Census / WWII Draft Card, www.fold3.com
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com