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Personal info

Full name
SLAVIN, Charles Joseph
Date of birth
21 July 1918
Age
26
Place of birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Hometown
Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts

Military service

Service number
31311168
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Waist Gunner
Unit
550th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
1 March 1945
Place of death
Slype-Middelkerke, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 14 17

Immediate family

Members
Patrick J. Slavin (father)
Bridget (Gallagher) Slavin (mother)
Thomas J. Slavin (brother)
James. Slavin (brother)
Mary K. Slavin (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-38035
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Mr. Lucky
Destination: Ulm, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 16037

More information

Sgt Charles J. Slavin was employed at General Electric Company.

He enlisted on 16 April 1943 in Boston, Massachusetts.

The airplane collided with airplane #43-38273. Both airplanes were totally destroyed.

According to witnesses, B-17 #42-38035 pulled up into the other aircraft for reasons unknown.

Nine crew members were killed, and one man survived.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten