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Personal info

Full name
BALLOU, Howard Warren
Date of birth
25 April 1924
Age
19
Place of birth
Hubbard County, Minnesota
Hometown
Hillman, Hennepin County, Minnesota

Military service

Service number
17154727
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Unit
532nd Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
8 October 1943
Place of death
Dörrieloh, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
K 20 1

Immediate family

Members
Howard W. Ballou (father)
Dorris G. (Siera) Ballou (mother)
Elmira Ballou (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-29854
Data
Type: B-17 F
Nickname: Ole Flak Sack
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Deschimag U-boat industry plant
MACR: 1395

More information

Sgt Howard W. Ballou had been employed at Shell Oil Company before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Fort Snelling, Minnesota on 30 October 1942.

The aircraft was shot down by Fw Walter Hornburg in a BF-110G-2 of ZG 1/1. It exploded in the air.

Two crew members were taken prisoner, eight were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Minnesota, Birth Index / 1930 Census / Family Tree, www.newspapers.com - The Minneapolis Star

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Minneapolis Star