Memorial

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Sgt Joseph Evanovich joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 30 September 1941.

On his enlistment record 1923 is noted as his year of birth so it is possible that he may have lied about his age so he could join the army.

The intended target was to bomb the marshalling yard of Chemnitz with 332 airplanes, but 38 attacked the airfield of Eger as a target of opportunity. According to the MACR, this airplane was part of these 38.

The airplane received a direct hit by flak about the radio room, which bent the ship into a V for a moment. It then broke in two sections, with the forward section going into the ground and exploding and with the tail section spinning slowly down. Several crews reported three bodies leaving the rear section, with only one parachute seen, which seemed to only open partially. Two men survived the crash and were taken prisoner, the remaining seven men were killed.

According to medical examinations of his remains, S/Sgt William C. Eckerle must have hit the ground very hard while landing with his parachute.

The killed crew members were first buried at a civilian cemetery in Kettenbach, Germany.