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Personal info

Full name
SCHOLL, Harlan B
Date of birth
11 November 1915
Age
28
Place of birth
Missouri
Hometown
St. Louis, Missouri

Military service

Service number
17077609
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Top Turret Gunner
Unit
571st Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
7 July 1944
Place of death
Near Hoorn, the Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
A 14 7

Immediate family

Members
Benjamin Scholl (father)
Sadie H. Scholl (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-107070
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: North Star
Destination: Merseburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil plants
MACR: 7368

More information

T/Sgt Harlan B. Scholl attended college and was a mechanic.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, on 24 September 1942.

At 0604 hours at 5238 N-0455 E, aircraft #42-107070 was rammed by aircraft #42-97983, as a result of the first aircraft dropping back when caught in prop wash.

The plane lost the propellors and #2 engine, fire starting in the left wing and spreading to aircraft #42-107070, which were meshed together.

The planes parted the formation at 10,000 feet, spinning and disintegrating, both exploding before hitting the ground.

Five crew members survived and were taken prisoner, five were killed.

The casualties of both planes were initially buried at the community cemetery of Hoorn on 12 July 1944.

A monument is dedicated to the crew members in Hoorn, The Netherlands.

Source of information: Theo M. Scholl, Raf Dyckmans, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record

Photo source: Theo M. Scholl, Jan van Hattum, Frank Leek