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name
BADER, Alvin Gary - Date of
birth
4 November 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
North Dakota -
Hometown
Custer County, Montana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
39609553 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Voice Interceptor -
Unit
359th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
2 November 1944 - Place of
death
Eerbeek, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| H | 5 | 16 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Jacob Bader (father)
Lydia (Weller) Bader (mother)
Leona L. Bader (sister)
Nelda G. Bader (sister)
Theodore Bader (brother)
Lorraine E. (Oldham) Bader (wife)
Gary Bader (son)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97781 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: '8' Ball MK III
Destination: Sterkrade, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 10151
More information
Alvin G. Bader graduated from New Leipzig High School in 1939 and attended college. He worked for the Milwaukee Railroad.He enlisted in Butte, Montana on 6 August 1942.
The aircraft was hit by flak in one engine and fell out of formation. It was last seen when it was still under control. Nine crew members bailed out at about 500 feet near Arnhem while the B-17 was on auto-pilot. It crashed in a field in Eerbeek. T/Sgt Bader's remains were found near the wreck. Apparently his parachute didn't open in time. He was initially buried at the Catholic Cemetery of Brummen. The other crew members were taken prisoner.
A memorial in his honor was erected by citizens of Brummen on 15 November 1995. It was unveiled by the bombarbier, Nino L. Guiciardi.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census
Photo source: www.wwiimemorial.com, Peter Schouteten