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name
DU PREY, John William - Date of
birth
31 December 1919 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Hennepin County, Minnesota -
Hometown
Todd County, Minnesota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-673511 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
561st Bombardment Squadron,
388th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
6 March 1944 - Place of
death
Quakenbruck, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| H | 16 | 17 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Hartwell A. Du Prey (father)
Nellie M. (Hatch) Du Prey (mother)
Lorraine M. Du Prey (sister)
Betty A. Du Prey (sister)
Patricia J. Du Prey (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-40054 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Jinny
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Friedrichstrasse railroad station
MACR: 3092
More information
1st Lt John W. Du Prey graduated from Wayzata High School and attended the University of Minnesota. Before volunteering for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in San Antonio, Texas on 24 March 1942 he was employed by the Greyhound Line in Texas where he worked as a ticket agent.On the return route, in the vicinity of Quakenbruck, airplane 42-37886 was hit by enemy fighters. Flames were seen coming out from the cockpit and the #3 engine, and the vertical tail fin was partially shot off. The airplane pulled out of formation slightly and three parachutes came out. Then the airplane started to climb and went up into the lead squadron, striking airplane 42-40054.
Five crew members were taken prisoner, five were killed during the crash. They were initially buried at the cemetery of Schoonebeek on 10 March 1944. An eleventh crew member, John Blatz died of his injuries in a POW hospital on 18 March 1944. He is buried at Lorraine Cemetery.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / Birth Index, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, www.newspapers.com - The Minneapolis Star
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Minneapolis Star, www.ancestry.com - University of Minnesota Yearbook 1940