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Submit- Full
name
WELCH, Patrick Griffin - Date of
birth
9 April 1923 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Wilton, Monroe County, Wisconsin -
Hometown
Dunn County, Wisconsin
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
16092009 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Waist Gunner -
Unit
568th Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
11 December 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Thomas E. Welch (father)
Mary G. Noon (mother)
Catherine Algiers (sister)
Mary J. Welch (sister)
Elizabeth A. Welch (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31122 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Six Nights in Telergma
Destination: Emden, Germany
MACR: 1583
More information
T/Sgt Patrick G. Welch attended Stout Institute.He enlisted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 2 June 1942.
The a/c was shot down by a Bf 110G-2 of ZG 26 with a rocket over the North Sea, Germany.
Statement from Andrew Anzanos 390th BG, 570th Sqd, Top Turret/Flight Engineer:
"I was on that mission on Dec. 11, 1943 and had a close-up view as the a/c with wing on fire went by us and the copilot was climbing out on the wing through the copilots window!! It turned out that it was Major Hansel, the Command Pilot, who did not survive. It looked like he was trying to reach back in for his chest chute when he lost his grip. They were the lead ship. The a/c kept drifting back and blew up out of my sight. I had never heard before or since of an escape through the side pilot's windows."
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, NARA, www.390th.org, Andrew Anzanos (390th BG, 570th Sqd, Top Turret/Flight Engineer)
Photo source: Dennis and Gerda Hermsen, Peter Schouteten