Memorial

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Sgt Sol Rosen graduated from Hughes High School.

He enlisted on 14 September 1942 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was sent overseas in March 1944.

Statement form Corporal Charles R. Slingland.
"On 5 April 1944, our group was on a mission to bomb the marshalling yards at Ploesti, Roumania. Near the target area, our formation was attacked by enemy fighters. I was flying a gunner in plane # 096 in #6 position, low left in the first attack unit. Lieutenant Beene’s ship #42-100252 was flying in the #3 position in the same element. After the attack he fell out of formation and lost altitude, and then slid under our element. A little later I saw a B-24 which I believe to be Lieutenant Beene’s, fall away as it was being attacked by fighters. Soon afterwards I saw four chutes open as it left the ship. When I observed the plane last it was flying level but under attack by fighters. The altitude was about 14,000 feet. The coordinates as received from my navigator was 4450N-2550E".
Sgt. Rosen bailed out. It is supposed that he was probably hit by fire from the fighters just as he was about to leave the plane through the rear hatch, and that these wounds were fatal since he did not pull the rip cord on his chute. Crewmembers saw him lying on the ground with bullet wounds in the chest and his chute not opened. A crewmembers was assured by Rumanian officials of the Red Cross that Sgt. Rosen and S/Sgt. Keevert, the only two killed, had received a military funeral in Rumania.