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name
SNIFKA, Laurence A "Bud" - Date of
birth
3 March 1919 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Cudahy, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin -
Hometown
Wisconsin
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36807550 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
367th Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
12 June 1944 - Place of
death
1 km north of Beveren, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 14 | 17 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Conrad Snifka (father)
Pauline A. (Markiewicz) Snifka (mother)
Evelyn Snifka (sister)
Irene Snifka (sister)
Dorothy Snifka (sister)
Margaret Snifka (sister)
Rosalin Snifka (sister)
Paul Snifka (brother)
Elizabeth Snifka (sister)
Frederick Snifka (brother)
Marion Snifka (sister)
Jean Snifka (sister)
Elaine Snifka (sister)
Pauline L. Snifka (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-6019 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Lille, France
Mission: Bombing of a bridge
MACR: 5627
More information
T/Sgt Laurence A. Snifka enlisted on 1 March 1943.The aircraft was shot down by flak. Six crew members survived and were taken prisoner, three men were killed.
T/Sgt Snifka was hit in the head but managed to bail out. According to the witness statement of the ball turret gunner, Sgt Sexton, his body looked as if it had been drug over rocks and was badly marked. At that moment there was a strong ground wind and probably Sgt Snifka was unconscious or had already died when he hit the ground and therefore couldn't stop being dragged over the ground in his parachute. Other surviving crew members suggested that he may have been shot on the way down.
He was initially buried at the cemetery of Deurne, Antwerp on 13 June 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1920/1930/1940 Census, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Joe M. Fransquet