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Submit- Full
name
BROSTER, Kenneth J - Date of
birth
7 March 1919 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Illinois -
Hometown
Browns, Edwards County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36077836 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Waist Gunner -
Unit
726th Bombardment Squadron,
451st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
16 July 1944 - Place of
death
Near Tamási, Hungary
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 17 | 79 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Kenneth G. Broster (father)
Welcome H. (Rude) Broster (mother)
Gerald R. Broster (brother)
William B. Broster (brother)
Elizabeth J. Broster (sister)
Jean Y. (Smith) Broster (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-52087 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Ready Teddy
Destination: Wiener-Neudorf, Austria
Mission: Bombing of the aircraft engine factory MACR: 7156
More information
S/Sgt William G. Kirkendall:Captain Fort’s plane was flying in my flight and about 0950 I saw a sheet of flame in the #3 engine. My plane was in front of Captain Fort’s plane and his ship peeled off and went about 1000 yards from the formation. The flame in the engine appeared to be extinguished and the plane banked as if to rejoin the formation, and then it went into a very close spin. It dropped below the haze and for a moment I lost sight of it. A few seconds later though I saw an explosion as if it had exploded when it hit. I did not see anyone leave the plane by parachute and doubt if anyone was able to due to the tightness of the spin and the speed the plane was falling. There is a possibility that some of the crew may have bailed out during the short time I lost sight of the plane in the haze.
1st Lt Millard E. Mulry:
Probably unable to bail out because plane was in violent spin.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / King Family Tree, www.fold3.com, www.findagrave.com – Russ Pickett, http://aircrewremembered.com/USAAFCombatOperations/Jul.44.html
Photo source: www.ancestry.com – Jodi Goodman