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name
HINE, Thomas Luther - Date of
birth
29 August 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Corregidor Island, Cavite Province, Calabarzon, Philippines -
Hometown
Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-692312 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
506th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
29 June 1944 - Place of
death
Gerwisch, northeast of Madgeburg, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 2 | 52 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Virgil S. Hine (father)
Mildred V. (Wing) Hine (mother)
Jack S. Hine (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-28829 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: My Everlovin Gal
Destination: Magdeburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Krupp-Grusonwerke armaments industry
MACR: 7093
More information
The aircraft hit the right wing of aircraft #42-51181 as it was attempting to pull out of formation after sustaining flak hits. This occurred at 0952 hours over the target of Magdeburg, 30 seconds after bombs away. It caught fire and exploded.S/Sgt Walter V. Lawrence, the left waist gunner, who was one of the survivors, stated after the war, "Our mission was to Magdeburg, 29 June 1944. We were on the bomb run and flak was very heavy. I was flying left waist, the bombs were dropped, and then we received some damage from a close one. Pilot Westcott called me to check the damage in the bomb bay. As I opened the interior door (to the bomb bay), fluid from the hydraulic reservoir was pouring out, and the bomb bay doors were still open, all the bombs had cleared."
Three crew members survived and were taken prisoner, six men were killed.
Lt Hines was initially buried at the prisoners' cemetery of Gerwisch as Unknown. From there, he was disinterred by an American Graves Registration Company, labelled as Unknown X-7665 and evacuated to Lorraine Military Cemetery, where he was buried in a temporary grave on 2 October 1946. His remains were again disinterred on 31 March 1948 and transported to Ardennes, where he could be identified. He was given his final resting place on 2 August 1950.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, 44th BGVA, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census, IDPF
Photo source: Jac Engels, Dr Ted Hine - nephew