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name
SMITH, Edwin Robert - Date of
birth
22 August 1917 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota -
Hometown
Hibbing, St. Louis County, Minnesota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-795843 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
337th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
16 December 1943 - Place of
death
Between Rauwerd and Poppingawier, 9 miles southwest of Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| P | 1 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Edwin J. Smith (father)
Mary J. (McRae) Smith (mother)
Harriet C. Smith (sister)
Betty J. Smith (sister)
Margery A. Smith (sister)
William A. Smith (brother)
Virginia E. Smith (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31086 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1567
More information
1st Lt Ewdin R. Smith was a mechanic.He joined the National Guard in Duluth, Minnesota on 10 February 1941.
The airplane was shot down by a FW 190A of JG 1/1 and may have collided with B-17 #42-37739. The entire crew of both planes (20 men in total) were killed and were initially buried at the cemetery of Poppingawier on 21 or 31 December 1943.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com Stark- Bertholf Family Tree / 1930 Census, www.fold3.com - WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-B, Coleman AFS, Texas, Rene Bosma