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name
CHANCE, Walter Edward "Chancie" - Date of
birth
17 June 1919 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
West Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey -
Hometown
Keansburg, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32385103 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
455th Bombardment Squadron,
323rd Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
13 December 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, 20 km southwest of Zandvoort, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Edward Chance (father)
Edith M. (Drosett) Chance (mother)
Julia J. (Miller) Chance (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-34940 -
Data
Type: B-26C
Destination: Schiphol, Netherlands
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 1497
More information
Sgt Walter E. Chance graduated from Middletown Township High School. He was employed at the American Smelting and Refining Company.He enlisted in Newark, New Jersey on 20 June 1942.
During the bombing run the formation met intense and accurate heavy flak. Immediately after the bomb release, the airplane was damaged. It peeled off to the left and began to go down rapidly, but still under control, towards the coast.
The entire crew of six men was killed. They are commemorated at the Walls of the Missing at Margraten, except S/Sgt Thomas J. Carpenter Jr, who is commemorated at the Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge Cemetery and Memorial.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, Church Record, Family Tree, Church Record, www.newspapers.com, www.asisbiz.com, www.newspapers.com - Asbury Park Press
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Middletown Township Historical Society; Middletown Township Public Library