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name
MC CONNELL, Robert Rex - Date of
birth
11 June 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California -
Hometown
Yucaipa, San Bernardino County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
39531594 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
331st Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
3 March 1944 - Place of
death
Itzehoe, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 14 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Raymond R. Mc Connell (father)
Autumn E. (Reid) Mc Connell (mother)
Olivetta Mc Connell (sister)
Raymond Mc Connell (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-38075 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin
Mission: Bombing of the industrial areas
MACR: 2794
More information
S/Sgt Robert R McConnell was a metal worker. He enlisted in Los Angeles, California on 19 August 1942.On their way to the target, the formation crossed another formation that was returning without bombing their target, due to bad weather. The airplane collided head on with plane 42-31112, killing the entire crew of both planes.
There is a contradiction about the exact place where the plane crashed. According to certain documents, it crashed in Itzehoe, but other documents mention that the body of Thomas Robey washed ashore in Busum on 5 May 1944. This can mean that the airplane crashed in the North Sea.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, NARA, MACR, The San Bernardino Sun (San Bernardino California) 1944, www.ancestry.com - 1940 census, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: www.findagrave.com