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name
HARTE, Frank Whitaker - Date of
birth
1919 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Montgomery County, Alabama -
Hometown
Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-747404 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
349th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
22 April 1944 - Place of
death
4 miles north of Siegen, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| K | 2 | 21 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John M. Harte (father)
Pearl R. (Gist) Harte (mother)
Frank W. Gist (grandfather)
Minerva J. (Campbell) Gist (grandmother)
Lillian Gist (Aunt)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-37783 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Dodie
Destination: Hamm, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 4166
More information
1st Lt Frank W. Harte graduated from Sidney Lanier High School at studied aeronautical engineering at Aubrun University.He joined the National Guard in Montgomery, Alabama on 25 November 1940. He first trained at Camp Blanding, Florida for a year and a half and then transferred to Texas. Most of his flight training was in California and he received his wings at Marfa, Texas in August 1943.
The airplane was attacked by fighters who damaged #3 engine, and it began to lag behind. Witnesses saw the crew attempting to jettison equipment from the plane. It appears that all ten men did bail out although Sgt McDonald was badly wounded before leaving the ship. Some of the crew felt that Lt Harte and Lt Conley may have been killed by German civilians or soldiers after they landed.
Three crew members were killed, seven were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Carla Mans, www.100thbg.com, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov
Photo source: De Margraten Boys - Peter Schrijvers, The Montgomery Advertiser 1 August 1943, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-F Rankin, Tulare, California, 100th Bomb Group Foundation