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Personal info

Full name
O'BRIEN, Donel
Date of birth
11 February 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Evanston, Cook County, Illinois
Hometown
Cook County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
O-809699
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
570th Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
10 February 1944
Place of death
Striepe, County of Bentheim, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 36 24

Immediate family

Members
Howard Vincent O'Brien (father)
Irene Louise (Walter) O'Brien (mother)
Bayne O'Brien (brother)
Jean O'Brien (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30337
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Flak Hack
Destination: Braunschweig, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 2503

More information

2nd Lt Donel O'Brien was an author, editor or reporter before he enlisted in Nashville, Tennessee on 1 February 1943.

He was initially buried at the New Cemetery of Lingen, Germany.

Source of information: Jac Engels, www.abmc.gov, ABMC, National Archives, www.wwiimemorial.com, Julie Evans / www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / WWII Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com - MACR 2503, www.armyairforces.com

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Chicago Tribune - 14 March 1944