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name
BAUMGARTEN, Bernard Victor - Date of
birth
12 August 1924 -
Age
19 - Place of
birth
Buffalo, Erie County, New York -
Hometown
Buffalo, Erie County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32930626 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
351st Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
29 July 1944 - Place of
death
North Sea, off the coast of Ameland, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Victor H. Baumgarten (father)
Elizabeth L. (Hottinger) Baumgarten (mother)
Dorothy M. Baumgarten (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-107007 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: She-Has Ta
Destination: Merseburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing ot the Leuna oil refinery
MACR: 7815
More information
Sgt Bernard V. Baumgarten attended Fosdick-Masten Park High School in Buffalo for 4 years and was a clerk.He enlisted in Buffalo, New York on 8 April 1943.
The airplane suffered flak damage over the target and was later attacked by a ME 262 jet fighter. It was forced to ditch in the North Sea off the coast of Ameland.
Sgt Baumgarten was severely wounded by flak (left leg nearly torn off and wounds in the abdomen) and went down with the A/C. Two crewmembers stayed in the sinking airplane to rescue Sgt Baumgarten as long as they could. He called out one of their names when they had to leave the airplane, although he was nearly unconsious from two shots of morphine.
The rest of the crew made it to shore & immediately captured.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1930/1940 Census / Army Enlistment Record / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, www.findagrave.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com
Photo source: 100th Bomb Group Foundation, www.100thbg.com, www.ancestry.com - Fosdick Masten Park High School yearbook 1939 and 1940