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name
NISWONGER, Harold Lee - Date of
birth
24 February 1921 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Watrous, Mora County, New Mexico -
Hometown
Las Vegas, San Miguel County, New Mexico
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-803857 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
337th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
8 May 1944 - Place of
death
Döverden, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 34 | 12 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Otis Niswonger (father)
Sarah F. (Barnett) Niswonger (mother)
Katherine E. (Williams) Niswonger (sister)
Morris Niswonger (brother)
Ruth Niswonger (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97782 -
Data
Type B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 4572
More information
Harold Niswonger Las Vegas High School and Highlands University.He was still a college student when he joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Santa Fe, New Mexico on 13 May 1942.
He trained at Maxwell Field and Gunter Field at Montgomery, Alabama; Army Air Force Advanced Flying School in Blytheville, Arkansas; Hendricks Field, Sebring, Florida; Pyote, Texas and Army Air Base in Alexandria, Louisiana. He was awarded his wings on 29 May 1943 at Blytheville, Arkansas.
The aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters and set afire. It also collided with an enemy fighter plane after which it exploded.
According to surviving crew members 1st Lt Niswonger was still in the plane when it exploded.
Eight crew members could bail out. Seven of them were taken prisoner. Two of them were ordered to place the body of T/Sgt Caum in a truck. They believed he was beaten to death by civilians because of the bruises and the condition of his body.
The other two crew members, Harold L. Niswonger and Robert J. Morrison were killed in the plane. Records show that Caum and Niswonger were initially buried at the Jewish Cemetery of Hoya on 10 May 1944. It can be assumed that also T/Sgt Morrison was initially buried at this cemetery.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.findagrave.com, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - New Mexico WWII Record / 1930/1940 Census
Photo source: Jac Engels, Sophie Vleugels, The Santa Fe New Mexican 1940