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Personal info

Full name
LATTA, William Norwood Jr
Date of birth
23 October 1915
Age
28
Place of birth
Durham County, North Carolina
Hometown
Mercer County, New Jersey

Military service

Service number
12132488
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
339th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Died of Wounds
Date of death
8 May 1944
Place of death
Air Force hospital at Brunswick
Brunswick, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 42 6

Immediate family

Members
William N. Latta Sr. (father)
Martita E. (Dossett) Latta (mother)
James A. Latta (brother)
Jennie L. Latta (sister)
Martita E. Latta (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-102482
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Combat
MACR: 4575

More information

S/Sgt William N. Latta Jr. enlisted in Camden, New Jersey on 23 September 1942.

William died of wounds received during crash landing attempt after being shot down by enemy fighters on a mission to Berlin. He was admitted to the Air Force hospital at Brunswick and died there of head and chest wounds. He was initially buried at Tinnerlah, Fire Arms Range of the Air Force on the road in Brunswick to Breitzen on 10 May 1944 around 1800 hours.

Source of information: Sebastiaan Vonk, Bill Ford (Nephew), Laura Phillips, www.ancestry.com, www.fold3.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record

Photo source: Ed en Anita Tiebax, Bill Ford