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Personal info

Full name
ONIE, Milton S "Mickey"
Date of birth
25 January 1926
Age
19
Place of birth
Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Hometown
Bond Hill, Hamilton County, Ohio
Religion
Jewish

Military service

Service number
15375786
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Waist Gunner
Unit
334th Bombardment Squadron,
95th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
3 February 1945
Place of death
400 m off beach pole 26 on the northwestern end of the island of Texel
The island of Texel, the Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
I 7 14

Immediate family

Members
William C. Onie (father)
Peggy Onie (mother)
John J. Onie (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-102951
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Tempelhof railroad station
MACR: 12048

More information

Sgt Milton S. Onie graduated from Walnut Hills High School and attended Miami University, Ohio.

He joined the Army Air Corps in October 1943 and was sent overseas on 24 December 1944.

The aircraft was seen to be hit by flak just after bombs away and a fire started on the wing. Three parachutes were seen to leave the aircraft on the eastern edge of Berlin. At that time, the aircraft was still on fire but under control. It also had a runaway prop, but managed to fly as far as Texel. It crashed-landed about 400 m offshore.

The entire crew of nine men was killed.

Note: Only the engineer Sgt Leroy R. Hansen's remains were never found. He is remembered at the Walls of the Missing at the American Military Cemetery and Memorial at Cambridge. The bodies of all the other crew members washed ashore on Texel or Terschelling. Therefore, it can be assumed that the testimony about seeing parachutes leaving the plane over Berlin, concerns another airplane.

Sgt Onie's body washed ashore on Texel. He was initially buried at the military cemetery of Den Burg on 7 February 1945.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930-1940Census / Birth Index / National Jewish Welfare Board / Missing Death Records, www.newspapers.com - The Cincinnati Enquirer

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com - Walnut Hills High School Yearbook 1943