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name
DEL PERO, Otto D - Date of
birth
19 February 1923 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Yuba County, California -
Hometown
Marysville, Yuba County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19149684 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Waist Gunner -
Unit
701st Bombardment Squadron,
445th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 March 1945 - Place of
death
Three miles southeast of Wesel, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| E | 13 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Joseph A. Del Pero (father)
Euphemia (Masoni) Del Pero (mother)
Mario F. Del Pero (brother)
Hugo Del Pero (brother)
Renzo Del Pero (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-51245 -
Data
Type: B-24J
Destination: Wesel, Germany
Mission: Supply drop
MACR: 13516
More information
S/Sgt Otto D. Del Pero attended college for two years.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve at Buckley Field, Colorado on 18 February 1943.
His father was a native of Italy and immigrated to California in 1903, settling in San Francisco.
The mission of the day was dropping supplies for the ground troops, participating in Operation Varsity.
The airplane was hit by small arms fire when it was flying at 300 ft and caught fire. It crashed in flames and exploded. All ten crew members were killed.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, P. Hageman, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Birth Index / 1930 Census /1940 Census, www.findagrave.com
Photo source: Peter Schouteten