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Personal info

Full name
BOEHM, Michael Albert
Date of birth
7 December 1917
Age
26
Place of birth
Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio
Hometown
Mahoning County, Ohio

Military service

Service number
O-688576
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
733rd Bombardment Squadron,
453rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
22 February 1944
Place of death
Lake Volkerak, 15 km northwest of Steenbergen, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
John C. Boehm (father)
Susie Boehm (mother)
John C. Boehm (brother)
Susan Boehm (sister)
Margaret M. Boehm (sister)
Hilda (Deppner) Boehm (wife)
Michael Boehm Jr. (son)

Plane data

Serial number
41-28615
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Ginnie
Destination: Gotha, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the industrial area
MACR: 2895

More information

2nd Lt Michael A. Boehm graduated from New Waterford High School with the class of 1935. In school he took part in the Junior and Senior plays. He received awards in Bookkeeping.

He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army at Fort Hayes, Ohio on 11 February 1941. He trained at Luke Field, Arizona and Randolph Field, Texas. He received his wings at Kelly Field, Texas. When overseas, Lt Boehm was stationed near his sister, Susan, a Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps. The two had planned to meet a few days before he was declared missing.

177 B-24s are dispatched but they are recalled when 100 miles (160 km) inland. Since they were over Germany, they sought targets of opportunity but strong winds drove the bombers over The Netherlands and their bombs hit Enschede, Arnhem, Nijmegen and Deventer.

The aircraft was seen to be attacked hit by enemy aircraft and went down, probably by Hauptmann Herbert Huppertz of JG2. It hit the water and exploded. No parachutes were seen.

Only the remains of S/Sgt Richard C. Anderson were recovered. The other nine crew members are still missing in action and are remembered at the Walls of the Missing at Margraten Cemetery.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, Lowellville High School - Echo Yearbook (Lowellville, OH), www.ancestry.com - Family Tree

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Lowellville High School - Echo Yearbook (Lowellville, OH)