Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
AGANTOVICH, Charles R - Date of
birth
19 January 1925 -
Age
19 - Place of
birth
Olyphant, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
33464764 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
708th Bombardment Squadron,
447th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
30 November 1944 - Place of
death
Leitz, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Charles Agantovich (father)
Elisabeth Agantovich (mother)
Ellen M. Agantovich (sister)
Frances L. Agantovich (sister)
Roberta A. (Amerson) Agantovich (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38725 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Zeitz, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Braunkohle-Benzin A.G. Industry - oil refinery
MACR: 11149
More information
Sgt Charles R. Agantovich enlisted at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on 3 March 1943.The initial target was the oil plant of Lutzendorf. Instead, targets of opportunity were attacked.
The aircraft was hit by flak at the instant of bombs away. A large hole was observed between #3 and #4 engines. The entire right wing burst into flames, and the aircraft peeled off to the right and lost altitude rapidly. The aircraft was not out of control, and some crews reported 1-2 chutes, though the majority saw no chutes. The incident was at 27,800 feet at 1318 hours over the target. Heavy contrails prevented further observation of this aircraft or its crew.
The deceased crew members were initially buried at the Michaelis Cemetery at Zeitz on 2 December 1944. The crew members, listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle, were recovered after the war and transported to the American Military Cemetery in Ardennes. They could not be identified with sufficient certainty, so they were buried as unknown.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree, www.fold3.com - MACR, IDPF
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, http://www.447bg.com