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Personal info

Full name
HUTSON, Cecil Eugene
Date of birth
17 April 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Hometown
Mesquite, Dallas County, Texas

Military service

Service number
18127645
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Engineer
Unit
854th Bombardment Squadron,
491st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
18 September 1944
Place of death
Northeast of Udenhout, the Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
O 15 8

Immediate family

Members
Cecil F. Hutson (father)
Thelma (Springer) Hutson (mother)
Velma H Hutson (wife)
Emma J. Hutson (daughter)

Plane data

Serial number
44-40210
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: I'll Be Seeing You
Destination: Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Mission: Supply drop
Macr: 10211

More information

The airplane was hit by 20 mm flak and a small fire started on the right wing. With only seconds in which to work, Capt Hunter, considered one of the best pilots in the group, picked his spot and started to bring the B-24 in on its belly. At less then 50 feet, however, the right inboard engine burst into flames. The right wing dropped and it was too low when the plane hit. The instant was captured by a camera in another aircraft. The plane then slid on the ground, crashed into a haystack and exploded. It came to rest in a field about three fourths of a mile northeast of a train overpass near the town of Udenhout.

Because of the low altitude, no one was able to bail out. Nine crew members were killed. One man survived, evaded capture and was kept hidden until the town was liberated by Canadian troops.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, Missing Aircrew Report 10211, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 Census

Photo source: FOHF, http://www.coulthart.com/jkhunter.html