Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
MARCOUILLER, Gordon Lester
Date of birth
13 April 1923
Age
20
Place of birth
Illinois
Hometown
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
O-749680
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
66th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
26 November 1943
Place of death
Between Brual and Rhede, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 13 7

Immediate family

Members
Ernest J. Marcouiller (father)
Clara M. (Young) Marcouiller (mother)
Ernest E. Marcouiller (brother)
Eleanour M. Marcouiller (sister)
Dawn Marcouiller (sister)
Allen J. Marcouiller (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
41-24234
Data
Type: B-24D
Nickname: Mr 5x5
Destination: Bremen Germany
Mission: Bombing of the industrial area
MACR: 1501

More information

Gordon Marcouiller attended Lane Technical High School in Chicago, Illinois.

This B-24 and another one were flying in a tight formation when both hit prop wash from airplanes ahead. The other plane nosed up and the #4 engine and propeller chewed into the tail of MR 5x5, tearing off the right stabilizer, fin and rudder. Immediately it did half a wing over and started to go down in a slow spiral. As it lost altitude, it was seen to level off for a moment, and then the remainer of the tail assembly disintegrated. It went down and was seen to crash.

The entire crew of ten men was killed.

His brother Allen J. Marcouiller, who was an aviation cadet with the Air Corps was killed in July 1944 in Florida.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com 1930 Census , www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - Chicago Tribune 3 June 1944