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Personal info

Full name
NUMACK, Basil
Date of birth
9 March 1925
Age
19
Place of birth
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Hometown
Silver Springs, Wyoming County, New York

Military service

Service number
42091027
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
418th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
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
A 27 6

Immediate family

Members
Walter Numack (father)
Marie Numack (mother)

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 Basil Numack was employed at the Warsaw Elevator Plant.

He joined the U.S. Army Reserve at Fort Dix, New Jersey on 12 January 1944.

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 flames 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, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, NARA, Footnote.com, 100thbg.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thahs.com, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Michel Beckers, www.100thbg.com