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name
GEERLINGS, Lambert John - Date of
birth
1 February 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Chillicothe, Peoria County, Illinois -
Hometown
Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
17074759 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
570th Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
20 October 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Henry L. Geerlings (father)
Lillian (Bruner) Geerlings (mother)
Ineze L. (Adams) Geerlings (stepmother)
Elizabeth M. Geerlings (sister)
Mina E. Geerlings (half-sister)
George Geerlings (half-brother)
Lee Geerlings (half-brother)
Ettie A. Geerlings (half-sister)
Katy Geerlings (half-sister)
Martin F. Geerlings (half-brother)
Lambert J. Geerlings (half-brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3312 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Sequatchiee
Destination: Duren, Germany
MACR: 14417
More information
The aircraft was hit by flak in the No. 1 engine causing complete failure over Tilburg. There was .30 caliber damage to the left wing and fuel tanks, thus the aircraft turned back to return to base. At 10 miles from the coast of Rotterdam, S/Sgt Geerlings and three other crew members bailed from the plane and were recorded as MIA.There was obviously a mistake in the radio communications within the aircraft, as only part of the crew bailed out. The pilot regained control of the aircraft and returned to the base with the remaining 6 crew members.
The plane itself in a later mission crashed on 22 June 1944.
His half-brother Lambert was named after him.
Source of information: Patricia Geerling, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Jac Engels, Patricia Geerling