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Personal info

Full name
CURLAND, William H
Date of birth
22 October 1920
Age
24
Place of birth
Los Angeles County, California
Hometown
La Canada Flintridge, Los Angeles County, California
Religion
Jewish

Military service

Service number
O-760589
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
753rd Bombardment Squadron,
458th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
30 October 1944
Place of death
Deutsch Evren, near Lüneburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 29 8

Immediate family

Members
Abraham Curland (father)
Lilian Curland (mother)
Melvin M. Curland (brother)
Betty Curland (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-100431
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Bomb-Ah-Dear
Destination: Harburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yards
MACR: 10166

More information

T/Sgt Harold Lane and Sgt Vernon Dunekack:
Lt. Curland remained at the controls of the plane to allow the crew to bail out. Before he had a chance to leave the controls, the tail assembly of the plane broke off at the camera hatch, thereby losing all control of the ship and, I assume, was trapped inside the plane. The Germans told us he crashed with the plane and was killed.

This was the crew's eight mission.

Source of information: Terry Hirsch, Michel Beckers/Darin Scorza-www.458bg.com, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / 1930 census / California Birth Index, 1905-1995, http://www.458bg.com - Katherine Pratt

Photo source: Guy Maes, Michel Beckers/Mrs. Katherine Pratt, http://www.458bg.com - Katherine Pratt, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-K Pecos Army Flying School, Texas