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Personal info

Full name
COLVIN, Jake Stone Jr
Date of birth
2 April 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Chester, Chester County, South Carolina
Hometown
Chester County, South Carolina

Military service

Service number
O-460094
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
730th Bombardment Squadron,
452nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
29 February 1944
Place of death
Near the Luther factory at the Frankfurtstrasse
Bienrode, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 1 14

Immediate family

Members
Jake S. Colvin (father)
Bernice E. (Barr) Colvin (mother)
Bernice Colvin (sister)
Jessie Colvin (sister)
Penn Colvin (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30800
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Cock O' The Walk
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Wilke Werke aviation industry
MACR: 2893

More information

1st Lt Jake S. Colvin Jr. graduated from Clemson College and the Chester High School. He received his wings on 28 May 1943.

He was killed when the Flying Fortress he was piloting was hit by shrapnel over Brunswick, Germany. He apparently died instantly.

Right after dropping their bomb load, flak hit the open bomb bay door and caused a terrific explosion. The airplane burst into flames.

Six crew members survived and were taken prisoner, four men were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.findagrave.com, www.fold3.com, Hannah Majewski - Columbia Record - 20 March 1944

Photo source: Rik Verhelle, www.findagrave.com