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name
VAN METER, Malcolm - Date of
birth
16 July 1920 -
Age
23 -
Place of birth
Ohio -
Hometown
Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-743139 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
62nd Fighter Squadron,
56th Fighter Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
11 November 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, 30 miles west of The Hague, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Malcolm N. Van Meter (father)
Josephine (Dawson) Van Meter (mother)
Herman H. Van Meter (brother)
Robert Van Meter (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-74626 -
Data
Type: P-47D
Destination: Münster, Germany
Mission: Bomber Escort
MACR: 1439
More information
Malcolm Van Meter worked in the meat product industry.He enlisted at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio, on 1 April 1941.
Eyewitness statement of 1st Lt John B. Eaves:
"While returning from a bomber escort mission to Münster, I saw Lt Van Meter bail out. He had been flying with Lt Harrison and myself for almost 20 minutes when we reached the Holland coast. Shortly after passing over Nordwald, just south of The Hague, Lt Van Meter called over the radio stating that his engine was cutting out because of lack of fuel pressure. He continued flying on however, until we were approximately 20 miles out. Then he pulled up and left plane. His parachute opened, and I called in a mayday for a fix. We could not circle him because of lack of fuel. Capt Johnson and I returned later at 1608 hours and searched the area, but could not find a dinghy."
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.56thfightergroup.co.uk, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees / Enlistment Record
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Nigel Julian, Eric Ommering