Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
CHAMBERS, Charles Thomas
Date of birth
22 January 1918
Age
27
Place of birth
Macon, Noxubee County, Mississippi
Hometown
Cooksville, Noxubee County, Mississippi

Military service

Service number
34876610
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
548th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
4 April 1945
Place of death
North Sea, northwest of Terschelling, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Carlie F. Chambers (father)
Daisy Chambers (mother)
Inez Chambers (sister)
Bessie Chambers (sister)
Josie Chambers (sister)
Olga M. (Jones) Chambers (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
43-38210
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Angel's Sister
Destination: Kiel, Germany
Mission:Bombing of the Deutsche Werke AG, U-boat yards
MACR: 13720

More information

Sgt Charles T. Chambers was a sales clerk before he enlisted at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, on 10 November 1943.

The airplane collided with B-17 #43-38639. It broke in two. The front half continued a loop and went over the top of the other aircraft. The remainder of the aircraft adhered to the other airplane. The front portion crashed into the North Sea and no parachutes were seen. The remainder crashed with the other aircraft.

An air/sea rescue search was made of the area, but no crew members were seen nor were any bodies recovered.

Both B-17s had nine crew members. All eighteen men were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, Carla Mans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - 1920 Census, www.findagrave.com, Clarion-Ledger - 1 May 1945

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.honorstates.org