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Personal info

Full name
RUSK, Harry Stephen
Date of birth
18 June 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
33336449
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner
Unit
549th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
15 August 1943
Place of death
10 miles off the coast of Dunkerque, English Channel

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
William H. Rusk (father)
Rose K. (Remich) Rusk (mother)
William H. Rusk (brother)
Joseph A. Rusk (brother)
Dorothy Rusk (sister)
Benjamin F. Rusk (brother)
Caroline K. Rusk (sister)
Florence M. Rusk (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30598
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Vitry-en-Artois, France
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 267

More information

Harry S. Rusk was a construction and maintenance painter.

He enlisted on 26 September 1942 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Along with airplane #42-30186, this airplane was hit by a fighter which flew through their formation. Both B-17s fell out of the formation. The pilot of #42-30186 said that he might have been able to keep up with the formation, but, since he seriously doubted this possibility, he thought it better to drop out and to try to protect plane #42-30598. Both aircraft were jumped by fighters. Plane #42-30598 was also hit by flak. The two airplanes got about 10 miles off the coast near Dunkerque when #42-30498 prepared to ditch, since its #1 and #2 engines were out. About 300 feet above the water, the left wing came off, the airplane nosed into the water and then it seemed to explode.

The entire crew of ten was killed.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Veteran Compensation Application File / Family Trees, www.fold3.com - MACR, Paula Friedrich

Photo source: FOHF, Paula Friedrich