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Personal info

Full name
HUNTSBERGER, James Edward
Date of birth
27 December 1925
Age
19
Place of birth
Sunburst, Toole County, Montana
Hometown
Sunburst, Toole County, Montana

Military service

Service number
19125329
Rank
Corporal
Function
Waist Gunner
Unit
416th Bombardment Squadron,
99th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
8 February 1945
Place of death
Mitterlobming, Austria

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
Plot Row Grave
K 28 24

Immediate family

Members
John W. Huntsberger (father)
Mona B. (Parsons) Huntsberger (mother)
John P. Huntsberger (brother)
William W. Huntsberger (brother)
David I. Huntsberger (brother)
Mary E. Huntsberger (sister)
Margery R. Huntsberger (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
44-6691
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Graz, Austria
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 12083

More information

Cpl James E. Huntsberger joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Fort Douglas, Utah, on 2 January 1944.

S/Sgt Edward J. Balog:
"On 8 February 1945, I was flying toggalier on ship #673, piloted by Lt Clark. Our ship was flying left wing to second element lead. Over the target area, while making a 360-degree turn, two ships in the second group in front of ours collided with each other. One ship went into a flat spin and I saw a large gouge in its wing. The other ship had its tail completely torn off, and I saw it going down in a steep glide. I saw one chute and then another body appeared just before one of the ships disappeared into the clouds. Whether this chute opened or not, I do not know".

Sgt Hulon A. Brown:
"He didn’t have time to bail out".

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record, www.fold3.com, www.findagrave.com, http://aircrewremembered.com/USAAFCombatOperations/Feb.45.html
Photo source: www.newspapers.com – Great Falls Tribune, Montana - 26 February 1945