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Personal info

Full name
VOLLBRECHT, Thomas Ralph
Date of birth
1 November 1922
Age
21
Place of birth
Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio
Hometown
Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
O-688141
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
335th Bombardment Squadron,
95th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
20 December 1943
Place of death
Near Bremen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
M 20 1

Immediate family

Members
Charles M. Vollbrecht (father)
Thelma Vollbrecht (mother)
Jack Vollbrecht (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31305
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 1557

More information

2nd Lt Thomas R. Vollbrecht was a crew member of a B-17 Flying Fortress which departed from the British Isles on a bombardment mission over Northwestern Germany, December 1943. He entered military service December 9, 1942 and trained at San Antonio and Dalhart, Texas, and was commissioned in August, 1943. He was immediately assigned to a Flying Fortress as navigator, and after a shake down cruise of sixty days the crew flew the ship to England and fought from there on until they were shot down. Lt Volbrecht was active in Athletics at Carnegie, his specialties being track and cross country.

After bombing the target, the plane was hit and last seen near the target with two engines on fire when it went down. Two chutes were seen to leave the ship.

Lt Vollbrecht was initially buried on 24 December 1943 at the Garrison cemetery at Wesermunde, Section III, Plot K, Row 1, Grave 18.

Source of information: Astrid van Erp, Erwin Derhaag, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Veteran Compensation Application File, Carnegie Alumnus, June 1944

Photo source: www.wwiimemorial.com, Peter Schouteten, Carnegie Alumnus, June 1944