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Submit- Full
name
MCDONOUGH, James Francis - Date of
birth
16 November 1913 -
Age
29 - Place of
birth
Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Worcester County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
11052808 -
Rank
Staff 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 |
|---|---|---|
| B | 11 | 21 |
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
S/Sgt James F. McDonough was a mechanic.He volunteered for the U.S. Army in Boston, Massachusetts, on 1 June 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
Photo source: Peter Schouteten