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Personal info

Full name
BERNACCHI, Adolph
Date of birth
17 January 1924
Age
21
Place of birth
Bakersfield, Kern County, California
Hometown
Bakersfield, Kern County, California

Military service

Service number
O-782130
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
548th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
4 April 1945
Place of death
North Sea, northwest of Terschelling, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Peter Bernacchi (father)
Artemia (Bargetti) Bernacchi (mother)
Dora J. Bernacchi (sister)
Nilda Bernacchi (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
43-38210
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Angel's Sister
Destination: Kiel, Germany
Mission:Bombing of the Deutsche Werke AG, U-boat yards
MACR: 13720

More information

Adolph Bernacchi attended Bakersfield High School and Junior College.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve at Minter Field, California on 14 December 1942.

Both his parents were immigrants from Italy.

The airplane collided with B-17 #43-38639. It broke in two. The front half continued a loop and went over the top of the other aircraft. The remainder of the aircraft adhered to the other airplane. The front portion crashed into the North Sea and no parachutes were seen. The remainder crashed with the other aircraft.

An air/sea rescue search was made of the area, but no crew members were seen nor were any bodies recovered.

Both B-17s had nine crew members. All eighteen men were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com - MACR / WWII Draft Card, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspaperarchive.com - Bakersfield Californian, www.ancestry.com - Kern County Union High School Yearbook 1942