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name
CUTTING, William Kay - Date of
birth
14 November 1914 -
Age
28 - Place of
birth
Massac County, Metropolis, Illinois -
Hometown
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
6862311 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
533rd Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
25 June 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, 3 miles west of Bensersiel, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 33 | 21 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Ruth A. Cutting (mother)
Jessie A. Cutting (sister)
Mary C. (DeMaronese) Cutting (wife)
James W. Cutting (son)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30027 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
MACR: 162
More information
William K. Cutting joined the Regular Army served three years in the field artillery at Fort Des Moines until honorably discharged in 1939. He re-enlisted in the Air Corps on 19 December 1941 and had been in England three weeks.He had never seen his son James William Cutting.
The airplane was shot down by German fighters at 09:10 hours and crashed in the sea, three miles west of Bensersiel, Germany. The entire crew of ten men was killed.
The body of William K. Cutting washed up on the beach and was initially buried at Langeoog Island.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, WWIIMemorial.com, Missing Aircrew Report, www.ancestry.com - WWII Bonus Case File, www.newspapers.com - The Des Moines Register
Photo source: Jac Engels, www.americanairmuseum.com, www.newspapers.com - The Des Moines Register