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Personal info

Full name
HARGIS, Jack Arthur
Date of birth
10 December 1920
Age
22
Place of birth
San Joaquin, Sacramento County, California
Hometown
San Joaquin, Sacramento County, California

Military service

Service number
O-734080
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
332nd Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
17 August 1943
Place of death
Montroeul-au-Bois, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
N 7 9

Immediate family

Members
Arthur T. Hargis (father)
Melvina H. (Henning) Hargis (mother)
Lois J. Hargis (sister)
Virginia A. (Briggs) Hargis (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-2990
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Dame Satan
Destination: Schweinfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the ball bearing factories
MACR: 277

More information

Jack Hargis attended college before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Stockton Field, California on 13 March 1942.

According to crew members of other airplane in the formation, this B-17 was hit by enemy aircraft, knocking out two engines. It rolled over as if both pilots had been killed and went down "as a ton of bricks". According to one of the surviving crew members, Lt Hargis bailed out but his parachute didn't open.

Four crew members were taken prisoner, four men evaded capture and two men were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.ancestry.com, www.91stbombgroup.com, MACR 277

Photo source: Michel Beckers, Emmanuel Papin, Arie-Jan van Hees - Pilot 42-K Minter California, www.ancestry.com