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name
SHOESMITH, George W - Date of
birth
1919 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
unknown -
Hometown
Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-815250 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
351st Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
11 May 1944 - Place of
death
Ougrée-Seraing, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 37 | 30 |
Immediate family
-
Members
George T. Shoesmith (father)
Etta Shoesmith (mother)
Bertha Shoesmith (sister)
Doris S. Shoesmith (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-39983 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Katie
Destination: Liège, Belgium
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 4866
More information
2nd Lt George W. Shoesmith was a mechanic.He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Boston, Massachusetts on 4 August 1941. He was graduated from the Flexible Gunnery School at Tyndall Field, Texas before beginning his training as a pilot in December 1942.
Immediately after the bombs were released, the airplane received a direct flak hit in the wing at #1 engine. A part of the wing was blown off the airplane went down in a flaming spin.
Three crew members were taken prisoner, seven were killed. They were initially buried at the airfield of St. Trond, Belgium on 14 May 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, 100th Bombgroup, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, www.ancestry.com - 1920/1930/1940 Census
Photo source: Michel Beckers, Carla Mans, Dan Sheahan, Reference Staff Fall River Main Library - Herald News - 29 November 1944