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name
THEOBALD, Howard George - Date of
birth
3 June 1924 -
Age
20 -
Place of birth
Flint, Genesee County, Michigan -
Hometown
Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-822564 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
416th Bombardment Squadron,
99th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
8 February 1945 - Place of
death
Mitterlobming, Austria
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Epinal - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Herbert E. Theobald (father)
Eva C. Theobald (mother)
Winifred E. Theobald (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-6691 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Graz, Austria
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yards
MACR: 12083
More information
1st Lt Howard G. Theobald graduated from Springfield Technical High School in 1942 and was employed at American Bosch Company.He joined the Army in Springfield, Massachusetts, on 5 November 1942.
S/Sgt Edward J. Balog:
"On 8 February 1945, I was flying on ship #673, piloted by Lt Clark. Our ship was flying left wing to second element lead. Over target area, while making a 360-degree turn, two ships in the second group in front of ours, were seen to collide with each other. One ship went into a flat spin and I saw a large gouge in its wing. The other ship had its tail completely torn off, and I saw it go down in a steep glide. I saw one chute and then another body appeared just before one of the ships disappeared into the clouds. Whether this chute opened or not, I do not know."
Cpl Hulon A. Brown:
"He was still in the airplane when it crashed on the ground."
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com – 1930 Census, www.fold3.com, http://aircrewremembered.com/USAAFCombatOperations/Feb.45.html, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: www.findagrave.com – Have Paws will travel, Springfield Technical High School 1942, The Republican - 12 February 1944