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name
CARPER, John Talbot "Jack" - Date of
birth
15 March 1923 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Brazos County, Texas -
Hometown
Brazos County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
13062885 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
366th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Died of Wounds - Date of
death
19 October 1944 - Place of
death
Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| H | 10 | 25 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John H. Carper (father)
Louise A. (Talbot) Carper (mother)
Mary L. Carper (sister)
Virginia S. Carper (sister)
Dan H. Carper (brother)
Jane Carper (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38052 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Cologne, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 9473
More information
S/Sgt John T Carper attended Texas A&M college for one year.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Roanoke, Virginia on 25 June 1942.
The mission took place on 17 October 1944. Over the target, the airplane was hit by flak on the left wing, between #1 and #2 engines. The wing broke off at the #2 engine and caught fire. The airplane went over on its back, and then went down, completely out of control. By impact it disintegrated. The airplane crashed at the railway station of Merten, south of Cologne.
Of the crew of nine men, three men were killed in the crash, two were not or just slightly wounded and were taken prisoner and four died of wounds two days later.
S/Sgt Parker was one of the wounded who died two days later.
The deceased men were initially buried at the cemetery of Waldorf near Bornheim.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - United States World War II Army Enlistment Records
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Des Philippet / Jay Follett