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Personal info

Full name
ELKE, Walter E
Date of birth
21 March 1925
Age
20
Place of birth
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Hometown
Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Military service

Service number
O2065523
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
366th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Died non-Battle
Date of death
22 September 1945
Place of death
Montenaken, near St. Trond, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
H 14 12

Immediate family

Members
Julius Elke (father)
Alma (Bock) Elke (mother)
Erna E. Elke (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
44-8477
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Can Do

More information

2nd Lt Walter E. Elke attended East Technical High School and was a clerk.

He enlisted in Cleveland, Ohio on 3 July 1943 and was sent overseas in January, 1945.

The B-17 of Maj Brooks Jr. took off from Advanced Landing Ground A-92, also known as St. Trond Airfield on 21 September 1945 at 20.33 hours for a routine night flight of approximately 5 hours. The B-17 crashed at 01.30 hours at Montenaken while trying to land under instrument conditions resulting in the complete destruction of the aircraft. Different witnesses at Montenaken saw the aircraft on fire just before the crash. An American soldier from an Ordnance Ammunition Company on patrol in Montenaken didn´t see the crash but declared he heard shortly before the crash the motors of the plane cut off and immediately the crash afterwards.

The crash was investigated and it is believed that the fire was a result of material failure. The most likely cause being a failure in the fuel system, electical system or oxygen system is a possibility.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - Ohio Birth Index / 1940 Census

Photo source: Bea Pannemans, www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet