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name
MACKICHAN, William Graham - Date of
birth
1 October 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
East Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan -
Hometown
Ingham County, Michigan
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-468423 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
547th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 April 1944 - Place of
death
200 meters south of Leutstetten, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| K | 19 | 28 |
Immediate family
-
Members
George R. MacKichan (father)
Elizabeth J. (Foster) MacKichan (mother)
Margaret MacKichan (sister)
Evelyn G. (Pierson) MacKichan (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-38158 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Jean
Destination: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Dornier aviation industry
MACR: 4352
More information
2nd Lt William G. MacKichan graduated from East Lansing High School and was a R.O.T.C. student at Michigan State College.He was transferred to the Army Air Corps in 1943 from Fort Riley, Kansas, where he had served in the cavalry since graduating from college in 1942.
The airplane was hit by flak in the cockpit area during the bomb run and exploded in midair. It crashed in Leustetten on the railroad tracks of the Munich-Starnberg Line.
Two crew members were able to bail out and were taken prisoner; eight were killed.
The deceased crew members were initially buried at the prisoners of war cemetery of Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany on 3 May 1944.
Source of information: André Koch, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930 Census / Family Trees, www.fold3.com - MACR, http://www.8thafhs.com, www.newspapers.com - Lansing State Journal
Photo source: -, www.ancestry.com - Michigan State University Yearbook 1942, www.newspapers.com - Lansing State Journal