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name
NASH, Travis Enloe - Date of
birth
9 September 1923 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Paris, Henry County, Tennessee -
Hometown
Paris, Henry County, Tennessee
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36851997 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner -
Unit
506th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
5 April 1945 - Place of
death
Wipperfürth, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| F | 21 | 19 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Jessie H. Nash (father)
Nellie I. (Gateley) Nash (mother)
Edna B. Nash (sister)
James A. Nash (brother)
Dora L. Nash (sister)
Leona A. Nash (sister)
Iona C. Nash (sister)
Joseph W. Nash (brother)
John W. Nash (brother)
Richard H. Nash (brother)
Allen Nash (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-40158 -
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Tinker Belle
Destination: Plauen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 14110
More information
S/Sgt Travis E. Nash attended Grove High School.The airplane had already lost one engine due to mechanical failure when they reached the target. Losing power and altitude, they were soon on their own as the formation pulled ahead. Then they were hit by flak, causing a fire in #2 engine. #3 and #4 engines were smoking and #1 engine had to be feathered.
At that moment, S/Sgt Nash was already killed by flak.
The decision was made to try to land near Brussels, Belgium but they didn't make it that far. When the bail-out signal was given, the pilot, George F. Brown, was already wounded. He parachuted but didn't survive. He was murdered by German soldiers, probably when he was coming down in his parachute.
The other eight crew members bailed out and were taken prisoner.
S/Sgt Nash was initially buried in an isolated grave near the crashed plane, either by German civilians or military. His grave was marked with his name and serial number. In May 1945 his remains were disinterred and transported to Margraten as Unknown X-903 and buried on 1 June 1945. After being disinterred again and being identified by process of elimination, he was again buried in a temporary grave on 25 May 1946.
Later, when the cemetery was given his final layout, he was disinterred and given his final resting place on 7 January 1949.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, Raf Dyckmans, www.8thairforce.com, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees, IDPF
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, The Nash Family