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name
NIICHEL, Hans - Date of
birth
27 February 1923 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Engelkirchen, Germany -
Hometown
Buhl, Twin Falls County, Idaho
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O2065815 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
732nd Bombardment Squadron,
453rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
15 March 1945 - Place of
death
Konstantynów, near Lodz, Poland
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 36 | 20 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John Niichel (father)
Liz Niichel (sister)
Rosemary Niichel (sister)
Genevieve (Maloy) Niichel (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-50477 -
Data
Type: B-24M
Destination: Gardelegen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the rail sidings
MACR: 13092
More information
2nd Lt Hans Niichel immigrated to the United States in 1925.He graduated from Buhl High School in 1940 and attended Woodbury College in Los Angeles.
He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Los Angeles, California on 2 November 1942.
The aircraft lost control over two engines. The pilot decided to fly to Soviet occupied territory and land the plane there. However, over Poland they were attacked by Russian P-39 fighter planes, supplied to Russia through the Lend Lease program. The airplane was shot down while attempting to land.
The parachute Lt Niichel failed to open.
From the MACR: The a/c lost one engine near primary IP and was losing a second one near primary target (zossen). He reported to Deputy Air Commander that he was going to land in Russia. 446th RO picked up a message that this a/c was landing at 1510. Crew OK. 52'25°N, 15'50°E.
In total three crew members were killed. Two of them were buried by local civilians in a park at the Tadeusz Kościuszko Square in Konstantynów. Their remains were exhumed in 1946 and evacuated to Ardennes Cemetery.
The crash is remembered on a monument at the Tadeusz Kościuszko Square in Konstantynów.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, ABMC, National Archives, Find A Grave, 453rd.com, magicvalley.com, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Louis Carlson / Marcin Żółtowski, Peter Schouteten, Buhl High School 1940, Maciek Mater