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Personal info

Full name
BOSNAVITS, Eugene Jr "Bossy"
Date of birth
21 October 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Hometown
Medina County, Ohio

Military service

Service number
35916197
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
863rd Bombardment Squadron,
493rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
12 September 1944
Place of death
Hadmersleben, near Oschersleben, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
I 12 7

Immediate family

Members
Eugene Bosnavits (father)
Marion Bosnavits (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
43-38098
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Magdeburg, Germany
Mission: Strategic
MACR: 8863

Biography

http://mcdlgenealogyspot.blogspot.com/2018/08/honoring-past.html

More information

Sgt Eugene Bosnavits Jr. graduated from Brunswick High School in 1940. The picture is taken from the high school yearbook of that year.

His parents were Hungarian immigrants.

The airplane was attacked by enemy aircraft at the R.P. at 1109 hrs. No. 3 engine was hit and set on fire. The aircraft was under control and kept formation for two minutes. The flames increased and spread until the whole wing was a mass of flames. Very shortly after this, the aircraft banked sharply and fell into a spin. Two parachutes were seen. No further observations were possible. It is believed that Sgt Bosnavits was killed when the tail surfaces were shot off.

Sgt Bosnavits was initially buried at the cemetery of Hornhausen, 4 km Northwest of Oschersleben on 14 September 1944.

Source of information: Astrid van Erp, Peter Schouteten, Carla Mans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Brunswick Historical Society and Medina County District Library, Airport Journals July 1944, Pyote, Texas