Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
WILDER, Charles Paul - Date of
birth
20 May 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Franklinton, Franklin County, North Carolina -
Hometown
Lewisburg, Franklin County, North Carolina
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
34406544 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Left Waist Gunner -
Unit
337th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - 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
Charles W. Wilder (father)
Dora S. (Perry) Wilder (mother)
Bettie R. Wilder (sister)
James P. Wilder (brother)
Sallie M. Wilder (sister)
Kate Wilder (sister)
Lola Wilder (sister)
James P. Wilder (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30872 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: The Blond Bomber
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1565
More information
S/Sgt Charles P. Wilder attended high school for 4 years and was a bellman. He enlisted at Camp Blanding, Florida on 15 October 1942.Aircraft #42-31113, that was flying above aircraft #42-30872, was attacked by enemy aircraft. One engine was shot off and hit their airplane, causing them both to crash. No parachutes were seen.
The entire crew of both aircraft was killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com Farrell/Mann/Perry Family Tree, www.8thafhs.com
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Jeannette Batton, 96th Bomb Group Museum