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name
SCHMIDT, Eugene Frederick "Gene" - Date of
birth
30 May 1924 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Nebraska City, Otoe County, Nebraska -
Hometown
Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-776073 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
834th Bombardment Squadron,
486th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
2 November 1944 - Place of
death
Kiregsdorf, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| G | 18 | 2 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Peter B. Schmidt (father)
Margaret E. Schmidt (mother)
Richard Schmidt (brother)
Robert Schmidt (brother)
William Schmidt (brother)
Dorothy Schmidt (sister)
Alice Schmidt (sister)
George Schmidt (brother)
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
2nd Lt Eugen F. Schmidt was a graduate of the local high school with the class of 1942 and had played freshman football at the University of Washington. While in high school he was active in student affairs and took a leading role in the school operetta "Firefly". 2nd Lt Schmidt went overseas in September 1944. He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve as a private in Seattle, Washington on 9 December 1942.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, www.wwiimemorial.com , www.Footnote.com , www.486th.org, www.ancestry.com - 1930/1940 Census / Headstone and Interment Record, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, via Adoptiestichting Margraten, www.findagrave.com - James Burke, www.americanairmuseum.com