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name
WITTS, Glenn William - Date of
birth
2 July 1915 -
Age
27 - Place of
birth
Lancaster, Erie County, New York -
Hometown
Lancaster, Erie County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32143277 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
533rd Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
22 June 1943 - Place of
death
2 miles off Krabbedijke, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| N | 5 | 11 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William Witts (father)
Alma Witts (mother)
Audrey Witts (sister)
Evelyn D. Witts (sister)
Marie J. (Snyder) Witts (wife)
Alma J. Witts (daughter)
Robert W. Witts (son)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30021 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Antwerp, Belgium
Misson: Bombing of the Ford plant
MACR: 160
More information
Sgt. Glenn W. Witts graduated from Seneca Vocational High School. He operated a trucking business before he started working for the Foster Wheeler Corp.He enlisted in Rochester, New York on 5 August 1942.
The aircraft was shot down by FW 190's of II/JG26 after leaving the target. It lost a wing and crashlanded into the waters of the Oosterschelde, about 2 miles of Krabbedijke.
One crew member surivved and was taken prisoner. Nine men were killed.
Seven bodies were recovered from the wreckage by divers and were initially buried in the Military Cemetery Wouseweg in Bergen op Zoom and were transfered to the Cemetery of Margraten on 4 August 1945.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Carla Mans, www.wwiimemorial.com, NARA, MACR, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree, Lancaster Enterprise - 8 April 1937
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Kelly Harter Westcott (granddaughter) / Sheree Dowdle