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Personal info

Full name
SANTILLAN, Paul Joseph
Date of birth
4 May 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Audubon, Audubon County, Iowa
Hometown
Audubon, Audubon County, Iowa

Military service

Service number
37436475
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
339th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
16 December 1943
Place of death
Waddenzee approximately 2 miles northwest of Harlingen, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Jesus D. Santillan (father)
Antonia Santillan (mother)
Nativity Santillan (sister)
Helena Santillan (sister)
O. Xavier Santillan (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31113
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Zilch
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1564

More information

The airplane was attacked by enemy aircraft. One engine was knocked off the ship, falling on aircraft no # 42-30872. Both airplanes went down. No parachutes were seen.

The entire crew of both airplanes was killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.footnote.com - 1930 Census, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, WWII Draft Card



Photo source: Peter Schouteten