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Personal info

Full name
BAKER, Ernest Cromwell
Date of birth
12 January 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
Media, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Upper Darby, Delaware County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
O-821141
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
4th Bombardment Squadron,
34th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 August 1944
Place of death
Kraienwisch, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 36 13

Immediate family

Members
Oliver C. Baker (father)
Margaret M. Baker (mother)
John T. Baker (brother)
Margaret Baker (sister)
Jane Baker (sister)
Oliver Baker Jr. (brother)
Carmel A. (Caldwell) Baker (wife)
Erna C. Baker (daughter)

Plane data

Serial number
42-94780
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Smitty
Destination: Kiel, Germany
MACR: 8463

More information

Ernest C. Baker graduated from Media High School and Williamson Trade School and was employed by the Sun Oil Company.

He enlisted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 6 January 1943.

The airplane received a direct flak hit in the #1 engine. The engine burst into flames which seemed to spread over the entire aircraft. The left wing disintegrated as the plane went down. One crew reported that this plane exploded near the ground.

One crew member survived and was taken prisoner. Seven men were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.footnote.com, www.valortovictory.tripod.com, www.newspapers.com - Delaware County Daily Times, www.ancestry.com - Veteran Compensation Application File

Photo source: Jac Engels, www.newspapers.com - Delaware County Daily Times