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Personal info

Full name
SIMON, Ralph Roman
Date of birth
29 June 1917
Age
26
Place of birth
Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Hometown
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Military service

Service number
O-748467
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
708th Bombardment Squadron,
447th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
24 May 1944
Place of death
North Sea

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 8 48

Immediate family

Members
Thomas Simon (father)
Violet Simon (mother)
Dorothy Simon (sister)
Thomas Simon (brother)
Simon Simon (brother)
Peggy J. (Oberst) Simon (wife)
Jeffrey R. Simon (son)

Plane data

Serial number
42-102494
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Not available
MACR: 5249

More information

2nd Lt Ralph R. Simon graduated from Whitefish Bay High School. He was a draftsman.

He enlisted at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, on 11 December 1941.

1st Lt Harold V. Casden: "Aircraft was flying #6 low squadron and was caught in prop wash and contrails en route to target. Aircraft was thrown over on its back and then went into a spin."

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, www.fold3.com, WWII Draft Card, 1920 US Census

Photo source: Jac Engels