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name
COTNER, Orville Howard - Date of
birth
13 October 1920 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Waco, York County, Nebraska -
Hometown
Kansas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-777602 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
350th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
3 February 1945 - Place of
death
Hobrecht Strasse, Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 5 | 29 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Arthur A Cotner (father)
Cecil M. (Love) Cotner (mother)
Helen Cotner (sister)
Helen Cotner (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-6500 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Mission: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Tempelhof railroad marshalling yards
MACR: 12045
More information
Sgt Hugh P. Boyd worked in the manufacture of radios and phonographs before he joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Buffalo, New York on 18 July 1942.Flak hit in the right wing area at bombs away point. The wing folded against the fuselage, the aircraft went inverted. The fuel tanks exploded, engulfing the entire aircraft in flames. It flipped over on it's back. The wing gas tank exploded and the entire aircraft began to burn and exploded. All aboard were killed.
The remains were initially interred in the POW cemetery at Elsgrund-Döberitz. Between 30 November and 7 December 1946, his remains were disinterred and evacuated to Ardennes Cemetery
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Nebraska State-Journal
Photo source: Michel Beckers, 100thBombGroup