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name
MOTTA, Peter T - Date of
birth
3 March 1915 -
Age
28 - Place of
birth
Yuma, Yuma County, Arizona -
Hometown
Woodland, Yolo County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-749446 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
351st Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
8 October 1943 - Place of
death
Near Bellingwolde, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 20 | 21 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Gildo F. Motta (father)
Mary A. Motta (mother)
James E. Motta (brother)
Mary I. Motta (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3386 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Marie Helena
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Deschimag U-boat yards
MACR: 949
More information
2nd Lt Peter T. Motta graduated from the University of California in May 1939.He enlisted in Los Angeles, California, on 19 May 1941.
The airplane was rammed by a FW-190 flown by Oblt Erich Hondt. Both aircraft went down and disintegrated in mid-air, the wreckage falling over a wide area near Bellingwolde, 28 miles east of Groningen, The Netherlands at 15.30 hours.
The entire crew of ten was killed. Most of the bodies were burnt to the third degree.
Lt Gormley, Lt Fox, T/Sgt Von Seggern, T/Sgt Mc Phee and S/Sgt Presley were buried in the protestant churchyard of Bellingwolde. Lt Motta, Lt Heath, S/Sgt Hilton, S/Sgt Avery Jr. and S/Sgt Rife were buried on 18 October 1943 in the nearby Lutheran cemetery of Leer, Germany, S/Sgt Presle's body was found a week later in a canal.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, 100thBombGroup, http://cru.ucdavis.edu/content.cfm?contentID=456 - The Golden Memory Book, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com
Photo source: Michel Beckers, 100thBombGroup