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name
GORN, Lion Albert - Date of
birth
2 November 1915 -
Age
28 - Place of
birth
Bronx, New York -
Hometown
The Bronx, Bronx County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32411565 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
525th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
29 November 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, near Petten, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Samuel Gorn (father)
Rebecca Gorn (mother)
Edward Gorn (brother)
Mildred Gorn (sister)
Janice L. (Jacoby) Gorn (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-29787 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Wilder Nell II
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1332
More information
S/Sgt Lion A. Gorn attended high school for three years.He enlisted at Fort Jay, New York on 23 July 1942.
Sgt Schooley Jr. (Tail Gunner), the only survivor, states that the plane was not hit over Germany while on their bombing mission but was but shot down over the Netherlands by ground fire.
In accordance with an eye witness, the plane was followed by two German fighters and the bomber crew threw some things out. The bomber made a crash-landing at sea with the nose to the south. The German fighters circle above the bomber but didn't fire.
At least four crew members climbed into a dinghy and a few others were floating with their life jackets on in the sea. It was tidal and the sea was rough. Suddenly, a machine gun opened fire. Sgt Schooley reached a pier and was picked up by the Germans after a German officer stopped the shooting. The other crew members were killed by the fire or drowned.
Although most likely the airplane was hit by ground fire, Erich Bucholz in a Bf109 claimed the victory.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, MACR
Photo source: Piet Glas