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Personal info

Full name
EATON, Joseph Jackson Jr
Date of birth
16 May 1918
Age
26
Place of birth
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama
Hometown
Jefferson County, Alabama

Military service

Service number
O-023265
Rank
Lieutenant Colonel
Function
Command Pilot
Unit
HQ Squadron,
34th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
7 August 1944
Place of death
Malmedy, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Joseph J. Eaton (father)
Jack A. D. Eaton (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
44-40323
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Sunshine Rose
MACR: 7877

More information

Lt Col Joseph J. Eaton Jr graduated from Marion Military Institute in 1936. In the fall of 1936 he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point from which he graduated in 1940.

The airplane was hit by flak in the bomb bay, causing a fire. It immediately pulled out of the formation and started to glide, leveled, started to climb and then enterred another glide as if it stalled. When it was last seen by crew members of others B-24's in the group, it seemed to be under control.

Four crew members were killed, four were taken prisoner and one evaded capture.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Jack Solomon and the United States Military Academy at West Point, Birmingham Ala News

Photo source: Jac Engels, Birmingham Ala News, Jack Solomon and the United States Military Academy at West Point