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Personal info

Full name
KAUFMAN, Harold W
Date of birth
3 December 1922
Age
21
Place of birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Hometown
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
O-685123
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
535th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 February 1944
Place of death
3 km northwest of Hiddesen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 13 6

Immediate family

Members
Dave Kaufman (father)
Rose (Millstein) Kaufman (mother)
Sylvia Kaufman (sister)
Ethel Kaufman (sister)
Marvin Kaufman (brother)
Sam Kaufman (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-39895
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Bermondsey Battler
Destination: Aschersleben, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the aircraft factory
MACR: 2935

More information

Harold Kaufman attended college and was a clerk.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in chicago, Illinois on 15 January 1942.

The airplane was hit by fire of enemy aricraft during the first attack. The #2 and #3 engine caught fire and there was probably a small fire in the nose. The pilot put the airplane in what looked to be a controlled slip to the left and dove down, probably in an effort to put out the fires..

The entire crew of ten men was killed. They were initially buried at the cemetery of Hiddesen.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, Illinois Cook County Birth Certificates 1871-1940, United States Census 1940, http://www.americanairmuseum.com

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Chicago Tribune - 1 April 1944, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-9, San Angelo Texas.