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Personal info

Full name
OLLMAN, Charles Augustus
Date of birth
10 September 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
Hometown
Blacksburg, Montgomery County, Virginia

Military service

Service number
36749506
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator
Unit
327th Bombardment Squadron,
92nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
3 March 1945
Place of death
Forchies-la-Marche, Belguim

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 6 11

Immediate family

Members
Charles A. Ollman (father)
Grace D.M. (Perrett) Ollman (mother)
Evangeline M. Ollman (half-sister)
Dorothy A. Ollaan (half-sister)
Kensal C. Ollman (half-brother)

Plane data

Serial number
44-6584
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Ruhland, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery

More information

The mission of the day was to bomb the oil refinery of Ruhland with 222 bombers. Only 24 of them attacked this primary target. 166, including #44-6584, bombed the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Chemnitz.

While over Brussels, when returning to their base in England, flying at 25,000', aircraft #43-38675 hit prop wash and dropped down, striking aircraft #44-6584.

It was struck at the radio room, broke into three pieces, and both aircraft spiraled down. One parachute came from Lt. Schmidt's aircraft: its sole survivor was S/Sgt. Edward W. Bartley, Jr., the tail gunner. The other eight crew members were killed.

From the other plane, only Sgt. Marshall P. Dellinger, ball turret gunner, was killed when his parachute failed to open. All other members of the crew survived.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Jean-Marie Plusquin, Jac Engels, Terry Hirsch, WWII Memorial, National Archives, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record, Clemson University Alumni Association, ArmyAirforces.com forum - "The Route As Briefed" by John S. Sloan / Family Tree

Photo source: Jean-Marie Plusquin, Sgt Bartley