Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
PUGLIA, Nicholas Dominick - Date of
birth
26 September 1920 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
New York City, New York -
Hometown
Northvale, Bergen County, New Jersey
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32827714 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner -
Unit
834th Bombardment Squadron,
486th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
2 November 1944 - Place of
death
Kriegsdorf, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| E | 8 | 4 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Aniello F. Puglia (father)
Carmela (Giordano) Puglia (mother)
Salvatore A. Puglia (brother)
Louis A. Puglia (brother)
Mary Puglia (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-37883 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Blue Streak
Destination: Merseburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Leuna synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 10168
More information
Sgt Nicholas D. Puglia enlisted in New York City, New York on 9 March 1943. He attended high school for 3 years and was a baker before he enlisted.The aircraft took a direct hit from flak just after bombs away. There was an explosion and the plane broke into many flaming pieces. No parachutes were seen. Sgt Bacon, a crew member of another plane, saw two men come out of the plane. He couldn't say whether they had jumped or been thrown clear. He saw no parachutes.
As this happened a crew member of another plane took a photo of Blue Streak and this photo appeared in most of the London newspapers and one New York newspaper (see: Beeson, William H).
The entire crew was killed. They were initially buried on the cemeteries of Kreypau and Kriegsdorf.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, NARA, Footnote.com, 486th.org, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Annette Puglia Herskowitz