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name
SPENS, Richard E - Date of
birth
1921 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Michigan -
Hometown
Yuba City, Sutter County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19069208 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
525th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
23 February 1944 - Place of
death
Near Koblenz
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 41 | 15 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Clifton E. Spens (father)
Violet (Hill) Spens (mother)
Frederic Spens (brother)
Marjorie Spens (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97520 -
Data
Nickname: Peg-O-My-Heart
Type: B-17G
Destination: Halbstadt, Germany
Mission: Operational
MACR: 2881
More information
Richard E. Spens attended high school for four years and was a mechanic.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Mather Field Mills, California on 8 January 1942.
After bombs away and on their way back the plane started falling after it had been shot by anti-aircraft. Only S/Sgt Kritzer survived.
One crew member survived and was taken prisoner. Nine men were killed. They were initially buried at the cemetery of Leverkusen Manfort on 29 February 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / WWII Enlistment Record
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.americanairmuseum.com, Appeal Democrat 28 February 1945