Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
SWILEY, Earl C
Date of birth
18 November 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Florida
Hometown
Homestead, Dade County, Florida

Military service

Service number
14083412
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Unit
367th Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 February 1944
Place of death
5 km east of Altenkirchen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
O 13 1

Immediate family

Members
Benson R. Swilley (father)
Carrie (Douberly) Swilley (mother)
Vivian Swilley (sister)
Evelyn Swilley (sister)
Lillian Swilley (sister)
Clyde O. Swilley (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31428
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Bernburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery
MACR: 2655

More information

Earl C. Swiley was a carpenter.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Camp Blanding, Florida on 15 September 1942.

The airplane was attacked by enemy fighters and exploded in mid-air.

Nine crew members were killed, one man survived and was taken prisoner.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.footnote.com, www.ancestry.com Pope & Golden Tree / 1930 Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Mrs. Sue Fox-Moyer