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name
VAN DEVENTER, Stuart Dee - Date of
birth
21 October 1924 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California -
Hometown
Bartlesville, Washington County, Oklahoma
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
38588932 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
714th Bombardment Squadron,
448th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
4 April 1945 - Place of
death
Ludwigslust, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Agunstine C. (Boulanger) Van Deventer (mother)
Eva V. Sanderson (aunt)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-50838 -
Data
Nickname: Red Bow
Type: B-24M
Destination: Wesendorf, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 13730
More information
Sgt Stuart Van Deventer graduated from Bartlesville High School in 1942 and attended Kemper Military Academy in Booneville, Missouri.He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1943.
The aircraft was attacked by Me 262s and broke in two.
Nine crew members were killed, and their remains were never found, except for 1st Lt Robert L. Mains, for whom the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced on 12 September 2017 that his remains were accounted for. One crew member was taken prisoner.
There is a famous photograph of this plane falling after being hit. It was cut in half by a Me 262. It can be found here: http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/15076
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Astrid van Erp, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.findagrave.com, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Peter Schouteten / Judy Mayfield, www.ancestry.com - Bartlesville High School Yearbook 1942