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Personal info

Full name
CARLSON, Edwin Orin
Date of birth
11 November 1920
Age
22
Place of birth
Akron, Summit County, Ohio
Hometown
Akron, Summit County, Ohio

Military service

Service number
O-671499
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
357th Fighter Squadron,
355th Fighter Group
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
7 November 1943
Place of death
In the vicinity of Montdidier, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Harry W. Carlson (father)
Alma I. Carlson (mother)
Edna L. Carlson (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-7984
Data
Type: P-47D
Nickname: On The Ball
Mission: Bomber escort and Ramrod
MACR: 1280

More information

Edwin Carlson attended Akron University and then enrolled in the Pittsburgh School of Morticians, shortly before he joined the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Lockbourne Army Air Base on 4 April 1942. He was sent overseas in June 1943.

Lt Carson flew as wingman of Capt Norman E. Olson. He stated the following: "After shooting down an ME 210, I pulled away with my wingman. I found myself over a solid overcast and decided to go down through and orientate myself, of possible. I let down through the overcast and broke through at 1800 feet and I found myself over water and no land in sight. I flew for several minutes and decided to gain altitude and call for homing. The overcast by this time had broken considerably and I went up through to 9000 feet. When I looked around I could not see my wingman."

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.newspapers.com - The Akron Beacon Journal, www.findagrave.com,

Photo source: Peter Schouteten