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name
WIENEKE, Olin Louis - Date of
birth
3 September 1918 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Christian County, Illinois -
Hometown
Greenwood, Christian County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
16055804 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner -
Unit
548th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
17 August 1943 - Place of
death
Zoersel, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Louis A. Wieneke (father)
Christina M. Wieneke (mother)
Dorothy M. Wieneke (sister)
Warren W. Wieneke (brother)
Bruce A. Wieneke (brother)
Belva Wieneke (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-5886 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: The Jolly Roger
Destination: Regensburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Messerschmitt aircraft factory
MACR: 387
More information
T/Sgt Olin L. Wieneke attended Eastern Illinois State Teachers College.He volunteered for the Army of the United States in Peoria, Illinois on 1 May 1942.
At about 10 o'clock, when the formation passed over the woods of Zoersel, Belgium, it came under heavy anti-aircraft fire. One airplane was hit and began to lurch from side to side, completely out of control. Belgian boy scouts saw six parachutes leave the plane.
Three men land on the castle grounds of Baron van de Put. It is not clear what happened to these men, but they probably disappeared without a trace. After all, four crew members are still missing. T/Sgt Schreppel landed not much further, and his story is well known. This means Parker Crabtree, Olin Wieneke and Herbert Brown must be these men.
Three crew members survived and were taken prisoner, one evaded capture and with the aid of the Belgian resistance could return to England and six men were killed.
The airplane crashed in Nieuwe Hinkelenpolder, 2 km southwest of Woensdrecht, The Netherlands.
T/Sgt Wieneke is remembered at Kettelkamp Cemetery in Christian County, Illinois.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com, www.missinginaction.be, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Dagblad 'de Limburger' - 10 nov 2015, www.findagrave.com - Betty M