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name
DI TRAPANI, John Emil - Date of
birth
30 December 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California -
Hometown
Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19101854 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
571st Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
7 July 1944 - Place of
death
Near Hoorn, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| O | 3 | 11 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Mario Di Trapani (father)
Amelia (Zito) Di Trapani (mother)
Eleanor A. (Shurtleff) Di Trapani (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-107070 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: North Star
Destination: Merseburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil plants
MACR: 7368
More information
S/Sgt John E. Di Trapani was a sales clerk.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Los Angeles, California on 11 June 1942.
At 0604 hours at 5238 N-0455 E, aircraft #42-107070 was rammed by aircraft #42-97983, as a result of the first aircraft dropping back when caught in prop wash.
The plane lost the propellors and #2 engine, with a fire starting in the left wing spreading to aircraft #42-107070 which were meshed together.
The planes parted the formation at 10,000 feet spinning and disintegrating; both exploding before hitting the ground.
Five crew members survived and were taken prisoner, five were killed.
The casualties of both planes were initially buried at the community cemetery of Hoorn on 12 July 1944.
After being disinterred from the cemetery of Hoorn, the remains of S/Sgt Di Trapani were reburied in a temporary grave at Margraten on 23 November 1945. After being disinterred from this temporary grave on 21 September 1948, he was given his final resting place on 22 April 1949.
The last picture is of a monument dedicated to the men of the B-17G, in Hoorn, The Netherlands.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, Nara, www.footnote.com, www.ancestry.com - California Birth Index, IDPF
Photo source: Fred Munckhof, Bob Shurtleff, Jan van Hattum, Frank Leek