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Submit- Full
name
THOMPSON, Harry M - Date of
birth
7 February 1915 -
Age
28 - Place of
birth
Berlin, Somerset County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Listie, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
33167490 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Left Waist Gunner -
Unit
535th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
1 December 1943 - Place of
death
Buderich, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
George M. Thompson (father)
Edith E. Thompson (mother)
Mary C. Thompson (sister)
George F. Thompson (brother)
Charles S. Thompson (brother)
William H. Thompson (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31111 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Four Aces - Pat Hand
Destination: Solingen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the industrial area
MACR: 1659
More information
Harry Thompson attended high school for four years and was an enigneer. He married Mabel Lorene Burke but divorced her on bigamous reason on 7 June 1941.He enlisted in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania on 30 March 1942.
Crew members of other airplanes in the same group stated that they saw a burst of flak very close to the #3 engine at about two minutes before the I.P. The airplane continued its way, seemingly undisturbed by it. After bombs away, the bomb bay doors remained open and after about 30 seconds it slightly turn away form the formation.
It is believed the airplane crashed in the Rhine river near Buderich. The entire crew of ten men was killed and their remains were never recovered.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, NARA, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Veteran Compensation Application File
Photo source: Peter Schouteten