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name
CHASE, Francis Rowell - Date of
birth
14 January 1924 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Harford County, Connecticut -
Hometown
Contra Costa County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
31326812 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
350th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
31 December 1944 - Place of
death
Horumersiel, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
William R. Chase (father)
Anna R. Chase (mother)
Kenneth L. Chase (brother)
Virginia P. Chase (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31987 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: The Little Skipper
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Rheunania Ossag oil refinery
MACR: 11550
More information
S/Sgt Francis R. Chase worked in a metal factory.He enlisted in Hartford, Connecticut on 4 March 1943.
The airplane pancaked together with another B-17 (43-38457). They circled and crash landed still attached to each other. There was no fire from the planes with in the air or on the ground although there was some smoke.
Six crew members were taken prisoner, three were killed.
S/Sgt Francis R. Chase was the replacement tail gunner on this flight.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census
Photo source: www.100thbg.com