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Personal info

Full name
PETERSON, Roland Einer
Date of birth
14 January 1916
Age
27
Place of birth
Devils Lake, Ramsey County, North Dakota
Hometown
Ramsey County, North Dakota

Military service

Service number
O-803263
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
337th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
7 January 1944
Place of death
Molenschot, Gilze en Rijen, Holland

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
N 3 17

Immediate family

Members
Peter Peterson (father)
Hilda Peterson (mother)
Margaret J. (Farstad) Peterson (wife)
Roland Peterson (son)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30130
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: The Klap Trap II
Destination: Ludwigshaven, Germany
Mission: Operational
MACR: 2018

More information

2nd Lt Roland E. Peterson was employed as a salesman at Jerome Wholesale Candy Company.

Per reports by S/Sgt Andrew Weiss, the tail gunner: Flak hit the 3 engine and there was an explosion. He was knocked unconscious but recovered consciousness while descending toward the earth in the tail section of the plane. He bailed out successfully.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, James D. Davis, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, WWII Draft Card, 1950 US Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.findagrave.com - Usafdo