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Submit- Full
name
MCCOMB, Harry Lester - Date of
birth
9 July 1907 -
Age
36 - Place of
birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois -
Hometown
Cook County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
16070468 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret 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 | 39 | 34 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Harry Bendel (father)
William McComb (stepfather)
Lena (Hoehn) McComb (mother)
Leroy Bendel (brother)
Berniece McComb (half-sister)
Betty M. McComb (wife)
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
T/Sgt Harry L. McComb was an engraver before he joined the army.He volunteered for the U.S. Army in Chicago, Illinois, on 6 May 1942.
Both T/Sgt McComb and his brother Leroy were born to Harry Bendel. After Mr. Bendel's death, his mother remarried William McComb and the boys changed their name.
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, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card, 1930, 1940 US Census
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Chicago Tribune - 23 August 1943