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name
FECHO, Joseph - Date of
birth
7 November 1916 -
Age
27 - Place of
birth
Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Yonkers, Westchester County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32334948 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
535th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
20 December 1943 - Place of
death
Oldenburg, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 13 | 6 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Stephen Fecho (father)
Mary Fecho (mother)
Stephen Fecho (brother)
John Fecho (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-5846 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Tinker Toy
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1723
More information
S/Sgt Joseph Fecho worked in a textile factory.He enlisted at Fort Jay, Governors Island, New York on 12 May 1942.
Statement from Herbert J. Burgasser;
"I was flying in the Ball Turret position of ship no. 42-30765, in which Lt Emil Urban was the pilot, when I saw ship no. 42-5846 go down over the target. It was out of control and spinning down in flames when I last saw it, and at this time no fighters were attacking it. I was in the ship that was flying in the #2 position, second element, low squadron of the low group. Ship 42-5846 was in the same element, #3 position."
Statement from 2nd Lt Emil L. Urban;
"I was the pilot of A/C no. 42-30765, which was flying in the No. 2 position. At approximately the time of the bomb run, which was about 1147, fighters jumped us from the direction of 11 o'clock. One of the fighters rammed B-17F A/C no. 42-5846 which was flying in the #3 position. It was under control for about a minute then flipped over on its back and went into a spin."
Seven crew members were killed, three were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten,Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Jac Engels, Michel Beckers