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name
PEARL, Joseph Thomas - Date of
birth
16 October 1915 -
Age
29 - Place of
birth
St. Marys, Pattawatomie County, Kansas -
Hometown
Greenville, Montcalm County, Michigan
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
16135683 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner/Engineer -
Unit
418th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
31 December 1944 - Place of
death
Wesseloh, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 15 | 12 |
Immediate family
-
Members
James Pearl (father)
Anna F. Pearl (mother)
Mary Pearl (sister)
John Pearl (brother)
William Pearl (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38215 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Gumblin' Gremlin
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Rheunania oil refinery
MACR: 11364
More information
S/Sgt Joseph T. Pearl graduated from Greenville High School in 1933. He attended college and was an inspector.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Chicago, Illinois on 15 October 1942.
The airplane sustained a direct flak hit on #2 engine which began to smoke and finally stopped. Then the airplane was attacked by enemy fighters as it began to lag. One engine bursted into falmes and a moment later the airplane exploded. Four crewmembers were taken prisoner, five were killed. The killed crew members were initially buried at the cemetery of Wintermoor on 4 February 1945.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, NARA, Footnote.com, 100thbg.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, WWII Draft Card, 1940 US Census
Photo source: Michel Beckers, www.100thbg.com, Greenville High School, 1933, www.honorstates.org