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name
LEWIS, Joseph Wayne - Date of
birth
3 January 1916 -
Age
29 - Place of
birth
Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota -
Hometown
Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-825917 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
571st Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
14 January 1945 - Place of
death
1 mile northwest of Görne, 3 mile west of Friesack, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
John Lewis (father)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-102673 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Good Old Yank
Destination: Derben, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil storage
MACR: 11724
More information
The aircraft was lost during intense fighter attacks by approximately 100 Fw 190s and ME-109s at about 1240 hours. Due to the fact that the entire squadron was lost during these encounters, there are no particulars available on the attack and subsequent loss of these aircraft.Five crew members were killed. With the exception of Lt Lewis, they were initially buried at the cemetery of Görne. Because the airplane was a ball of flames and exploded just after the surviving crew members bailed out, it is supposed that Lt Lewis perished with the aircraft.
Four crew members were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.390th.org, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, 390 BG Memorial Museum Foundation via Arie-Jan van Hees