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name
FOUNTAIN, Raymond Willard Jr - Date of
birth
1925 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Hampden County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
11108174 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
423rd Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
12 September 1944 - Place of
death
Reichenow-Möglin, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 3 | 18 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Raymond W. Fountain (father)
Mary G. (Gauthier) Fountain (mother)
Frances A. Fountain (stepmother)
Richard Fountain (halfbrother)
Dorothy J. Fountain (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-102503 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Belle of the Blue
Destination: Ruhland, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery
MACR: 8835
More information
Raymond Fountain joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Springfield, Massachusetts on 1 July 1943.The airplane was attacked by fighters and caught fire.
Sgt Fountain was hit while in his turret. Crew members helped him out of his turret and he died almost immediately, without speaking. At this time his face was intact.
After being captured the Germans forced two fellow crew members to carry Sgt Fountain´s body to the local guardhouse. The body was lying not far from parts of the plane wreckage. He had been hit in the abdomen by large shell, possibly by 20 mm. The visceral cavity was blown open and the face was all mutilated as though it had been blown apart. Because his face was intact when they bailed out, the mutilation must have happened when the plane blew up. The entire body, and especially the head, was swollen and puffed up.
He was initially buried at the community cemetery of Reichenow.
The other crew members had bailed out and were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Kathy McDermott, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Springfield, Massachusetts Trade School 1943 Trade Beaver Yearbook