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name
SCHIPANI, Joseph T - Date of
birth
22 April 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey -
Hometown
Staten Island, Richmond County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32409517 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Waist Gunner -
Unit
550th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
28 July 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, off Heligoland, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 35 | 9 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Pellegrino Schipani (father)
Margie Schipani (mother)
Patrick Schipani (half-brother)
Catherine Schipani (half-sister)
John Schipani (half-brother)
Frank Schipani (half-brother)
George Schipani (brother)
Lucy Schipani (sister)
Emelia Schipani (sister)
Virginia Schipani (sister)
Louis Schipani (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3316 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Betty Boom
Destination: Oschersleben, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Focke Wulf aviation industry
MACR: 189-B
More information
Sgt Joseph T. Schipani worked in a laundry before he enlisted at Fort Jay, Governors Island, New York, on 20 July 1942.Airplane 42-30257, 42-3316 and 42-30285 were flying in an echelon on a combat mission. Off Heligoland, at a time when visibility was poor, ship 30257 was struck by flak at a point in the fuselage about where the Navigator sits. Part of the fuselage was blown away, and the plane was thrown up into ship 42-3316. These two planes locked together for probably 30 seconds and fell into ship 42-30285. All went down together and blew up.
The entire crew of 10 was killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Astrid van Erp, Terry HIrsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card, 1940 US Census
Photo source: Peter Schouteten