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Submit- Full
name
WYGAL, Lawrence J - Date of
birth
1921 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Highland Park, Lake County, Illinois -
Hometown
Highland Park, Lake County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-737690 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
778th Bombardment Squadron,
464th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
10 May 1944 - Place of
death
Near Rosenthal, Austria
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| K | 30 | 28 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Lawrence Wygal (father)
Helen A. Wygal (mother)
Thomas E Wygal (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-64441 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Cherry/Iron Ass
Destination: Wiener-Neustadt, Austria
Mission: Bombing of the aircraft factory
MACR: 4804
More information
2nd Lt Lawrence J. Wygal attended college before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the U.S. Army in Des Moines, Iowa on 6 April 1942.Sgt Veriel R. McFall:
"At 1211 hours, 10 May 1944, I saw ship #42-64441 which was directly to the rear of my ship, #41-29429. Flak hit the No 2 engine, which caught fire at once. Then #64441 rolled out of the formation and passed under it towards the left. Two parachutes jumped and both opened."
S/Sgt Puett L. Willcox Jr.:
"The Engineer said, when last seen, he had no parachute on. He told the Engineer to bail out. He was fighting the fire with fire extinguisher is the reason of no parachute on. He was in plane when it exploded."
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930 Census, www.fold3.com, www.findagrave.com - Ralph Peeters
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Ralph Peeters