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name
WHIPPLE, Eldred Frederic - Date of
birth
21 May 1916 -
Age
27 - Place of
birth
Montello, Elko County, Nevada -
Hometown
White Pine County, Nevada
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-745777 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
366th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
22 March 1944 - Place of
death
Pfahlhausen-Hude, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 36 | 4 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Frederick N. Whipple (father)
Lillian (Catlin) Whipple (mother)
Althea L. Whipple (sister)
Wallace W. Whipple (brother)
Betty L. (Perry) Whipple (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-37957 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 3432
More information
Eldred Whipple attended Utah State Agricultural College.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Salt Lake City, Utah on 15 April 1942. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and received his pilot's wings on 20 May 1943. He had been overseas since October 1944.
The plane was hit by flak in the front compartment after it had difficulty in keeping up with the formation. It dropped it’s bombs and tried to keep up, but was forced to turn back. Five crew members survived and were taken prisoner, five men were killed. They were initially buried at the New Cemetery in Oldenburg on 3 April 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, http://aad.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree, www.newspapers.com - Reno Evening Gazette, www.fold3.com - WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Jac Engels, www.wwiimemorial.com