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name
CHOPP, John - Date of
birth
2 October, 1922 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Washington -
Hometown
Ronald, Kittitas County, Washington
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
39199270 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Assistant Engineer/Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
339th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
12 May 1944 - Place of
death
Hahnstätten, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| H | 7 | 22 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John Chopp (father)
Frank Bole (stepfather)
Margaret (Plese) Chopp (mother)
Matt Chopp (brother)
Shirley Bole (step-sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97167 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Brux, Czech Republic
Mission: Bombing of the Sudetenlandische-Treibstoffwerke A.G. - hydrogenation plant
MACR: 4858
More information
S/Sgt John Chopp worked at Boeing Aircraft Company.He enlisted in Tacoma, Washington on 2 February 1943.
The airplane was shot down by enemy fighters. Before it crashed, it clipped a rooftop of a hous in the village of Hahnstätten and then plumetted into a hillside about 50 yards further. It burst into flames immediately. Attemps were made to save the crew but extreme heat prevented villagers from getting too close. Instead the villagers waited and, after the bodies were recovered, they were taken to a local churchyard and buried in a common grave. A white marble marker was placed at the gravesite with the numbers of the men, taken from their dog tags. The villagers took care of the grave very well and even placed flowers.
Nine crew members were killed. Only the navigator, Robert Rieckelman, survived and was taken prisoner.
On 5 March 1946, the remains were evacuated to Margraten.
Brux was a German city during the war. Now it is called Most and is situated in the Czech Republic.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Ine Bindels, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Newspaper article