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name
OLIVER, Charles Henry - Date of
birth
5 March 1918 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Jefferson Township, Andrew County, Missouri -
Hometown
Savannah, Andrew County, Missouri
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37221318 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Waist Gunner -
Unit
323rd Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
27 September 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, off the coast of Langeoog Island, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Henry D. Oliver (father)
Nancy B. (Jessup) Oliver (mother)
Clara M. Oliver (sister)
Helen R. Oliver (sister)
Betty L. Oliver (sister)
Jessie D. Oliver (sister)
Frank M. Oliver (brother)
Dorothy D. Oliver (sister)
Gertrude Oliver (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-29750 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Rebel's Revenge
Destination: Emden, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the U-boat base
MACR: 668
More information
S/Sgt Charles H. Oliver enlisted on 1 September 1942.At approximately 1010 hours, 24,000 feet, just after leaving the target, the airplane was seen with an engine on fire. It left the formation and was seen to drop its bombs. It was last seen heading down in a dive.
Two crew members survived the crash: 2nd Lt Richard F. Hull and T/Sgt Edgar G. Fetty and were taken prisoner. The bodies of two other crew members, 2nd Lt John M. Perritt and 2nd Lt Frank O. Rolfe, washed ashore and were initially interred at Langeoog Cemetery Duenenfriedhof.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1920/1930 Census / Missouri Marriage Records / Zarina Bryant Family Tree, Give aus soldiers a face, Missouri State Archives; Jefferson City, MO, USA; Missouri Marriage Records ; WWII Draft Cards
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, The Joseph News-Press - courtesy of David Eugene Oliver and Bart van der Sterren