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name
ARK, Samuel James - Date of
birth
30 August 1924 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Silver Creek, Chautauqua County, New York -
Hometown
Chautauqua County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-2061589 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
773rd Bombardment Squadron,
463rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
20 March 1945 - Place of
death
Mühlleiten, Vienna, Austria
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 31 | 8 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Frank Ark (father)
Patricia R. Ark (mother)
Joan Ark (sister)
Russell Ark (brother)
Frank Ark (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-6421 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Kagran, Vienna, Austria
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery
MACR: 13052
More information
1st Lt Samuel J. Ark attended was a lawyer.He enlisted in Albany, New York on 16 May 1943.
The airplane was hit by flak and was last seen in the bomb run when #1 engine started to flame. The pilot put it into a steep right dive. When they were in a cloud, witnesses saw an explosion through the mist.
Four crew members survived and were taken prisoner. Six were killed of which five were initially buried in a common grave at the community cemetery of Mühlleiten, Vienna on 27 March 1945.
On 5 November 1947 an investigation team disinterred the remains of these five American airmen. One of them could not be identified and was registered as Unknown 6725. Later these remains could be identified as Lt Ark's.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Census, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Dunkirk Evening Observer