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name
CHOATE, George Rudolph Jr - Date of
birth
12 October 1923 -
Age
21 -
Place of birth
Indianola, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma -
Hometown
Blaine County, Oklahoma
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-552299 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
62nd Fighter Squadron,
56th Fighter Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 October 1944 - Place of
death
Achlum, Friesland, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | 4 |
Immediate family
-
Members
George R. Choate (father)
Lois O. (Edens) Choate (mother)
Lois Choate (sister)
James F. Choate (brother)
David E. Choate (brother)
Ramona Choate (sister)
Mary K. Choate (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-19929 -
Data
Type: P-47D
Destination: In the Wienburg area, Germany
Mission: Bombing and Strafing
MACR: 10117
More information
2nd Lt George R. Choate, Jr., graduated from Watonga High School.He enlisted on 23 September 1942 at Tulsa, Oklahoma.
I was leading platform red flight. Platform leader let down under the overcast to find a target or a safe place to get rid of or frag bombs. My flight fell in a string behind platform leader. Lt Choate was behind platform leader when platform started down on a horse-drawn truck about two miles southeast of Elburg. The ceiling was about 2-3,000 ft., which made visibility very bad. Platform couldn't get lined up on his target and called for someone else to get it. I looked around for his number two man, Lt Choate, to check his position when the light flak came up all around us. I then spotted an airplane going down at about 20 to 30 dive and never made any attempt to pull out. This was about 1615 hours. I circled the fire caused by the crash and identified the plane as a P-47, but could not see the pilot, letters, or markings.
Source of information: Michel Beckers, Nigel Julian, Peter Schouteten, www.56thfightergroup.co.uk
Photo source: Michel Beckers, Nigel Julian, Peter Schouteten