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name
ARNKIL, Thor Val - Date of
birth
22 October 1914 -
Age
28 - Place of
birth
San Francisco, San Francisco County, California -
Hometown
Sausalito, Marin County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-728156 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
401st Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
26 February 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, west of the Frisian Islands,
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Valdemar Arnkil (father)
Bertha M. (Tesche) Arnkil (mother)
Albin A. Axelson (stepfather)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-5362 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Short Snorter II
Destination: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
MACR: 15712
More information
1st Lt Thor V. Arnkil was a musician, playing on cruise ships before he enlisted. He took his primary training at Ritchey Flying Service at Victory Field.His father was born in Finland and his mother in Sweden. His father died in 1920 after which his mother remarried with Albin Axelson
The aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the North Sea just west of the Frisian Islands,
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, Carla Mans, www.91stbombgroup.com, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, www.fold3.com - WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Karin Brånebäck