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Personal info

Full name
SLAYBAUGH, Earl Allen
Date of birth
13 January 1922
Age
23
Place of birth
Nekoma, Cavalier County, North Dakota
Hometown
Nekoma, Calvalier County, North Dakota

Military service

Service number
37324549
Rank
Corporal
Function
Top Turret Gunner
Unit
337th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
28 January 1945
Place of death
Lith-Oss, the Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 33 6

Immediate family

Members
Charles E. Slaybaugh (father)
Clara P. (Mowen) Slaybaugh (mother)
Alerd L. Slaybaugh (brother)
Catherine L. Slaybaugh (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
44-6589
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Bachelor's Belle
Destination: Hohenbudburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 16248

More information

Cpl Earl A. Slaybaugh attended Jamestown College.

Just after 12:00 the airplane was hit by flak and started to spin out of control. The pilot, Eugene E. Dasso, managed to level the plane and two parachutes were seen leaving the plane. After a second parachute was seen the plane started again to spin out of control and crashed.

Since there were only nine crew members on board and eight were found dead in the wreckage, the fact that someone saw a second parachute must be wrong. Only one crew member was found alive.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - U.S. Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / 1940 Census / Various Family Trees / News Comet (Pennsylvania), www.fold3.com - MACR, http://aviation-safety.net, WWII Draft Card, History of 96th Bombardment Group

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com - U.S. School Yearbook