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Personal info

Full name
WIESER, Jerry Herschel
Date of birth
13 November 1920
Age
22
Place of birth
Bedford, Taylor County, Iowa
Hometown
Burbank, Los Angeles County, California

Military service

Service number
39247916
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Right Waist Gunner
Unit
506th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
22 March 1943
Place of death
Approximately 10 miles northwest of Baltrum Island, North Sea

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Victor G. Wieser (father)
Glenna H. (Herbert) Wieser (mother)
Lois Wieser (sister)
Fredrick H. Wieser (brother)
Charles W. Wieser (brother)
John E. Wieser (brother)
Hubert B. Wieser (brother)
Robert G. Wieser (brother)
Elizabeth A. Wieser (sister)
Mary J. Weiser (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
41-24191
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Cactus
Destination: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the U-boat yards
MACR: -

More information

This was the first mission for the 506th Bomber Squadron as well as for this crew. Mission debriefing reports show that the aircraft was singled out for attack by FW 190s.

Eyewitness accounts stated:
"During the first attack from enemy aircraft, ship# 191 was hit in the # 4 engine, which caught fire and the ship began to lose altitude and leave the formation. Shortly afterward, the #3 engine also caught fire and the ship headed for the Island of Baltrum, in the East Frisian group, off the coast of Germany in the North Sea. Eyewitnesses from the other crews in the formation reported seeing five chutes open from this aircraft prior to losing sight of this ship. This aircraft was last seen at approximately 10 miles northwest of Baltrum Island.

It is reasonable to conclude that the plane crashed in the water and that the men who parachuted from the airplane, as well as those who went down with it, were unable to reach land and that none of the crew survived beyond the date of their disappearance, 22 March 1943."

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Peter Schouteten, Roger Fenton VP/Historian 44th BGVA, Los Angeles Times - 20 April 1943

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees - Rob Willemsen / Roger Fenton