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Personal info

Full name
YENSHO, Edward
Date of birth
14 September 1925
Age
19
Place of birth
Lakewood, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Hometown
Lakewood, Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Military service

Service number
35922650
Rank
Private
Function
Dropmaster
Unit
579th Bombardment Squadron,
392nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
18 September 1944
Place of death
De Brilletjes, ‘s-Heer Abtskerke, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Luxembourg
Plot Row Grave
I 4 23

Immediate family

Members
Andrew Yensho (father)
Susan (Biusiak) Yensho (mother)
John Yensho (brother)
Andrew Yensho (brother)
Margaret J. Yensho (sister)
Michael W. Yensho (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-94886
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: No Feathered Injun
Destination: Groesbeek, The Netherlands
Mission: Supply drop
MACR: 10120

More information

Pvt Edward Yensho was employed at the Commercial Motor Freight Inc. before he enlisted at Fort Hayes, Ohio on 20 December 1943.

Over the Dutch former island Goeree-Overflakkee the airplane was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire, which knocked out one engine. After successfully dropping the supplies at Groesbeek, near the city of Nijmegen, it again caught some hits from ground fire, which caused a second engine to fall out. Back above the coastline, the pilot knew they couldn’t make it across the sea and gave orders to bail out.

This was the first mission for Pvt Yensho. When he had to jump out of the burning airplane, the inexperienced young man blocked and stayed behind. In panic he ran through the flames to the empty cockpit.

While the airplane was losing height rapidly and almost scratched the church tower, it made a sharp turn to the left. The airplane crashed into a pool called The Brilletjes and exploded.

Eight crew members were taken prisoner, two men were killed.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men / Sanford Tree / 1940 Census, www.findagrave.com – John Dowdy, www.tracesofwar.com, www.fold3.com - MACR

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.findagrave.com – Usafdo