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name
WOLF, John Frederick - Date of
birth
4 March 1918 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-742042 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
331st Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
11 November 1943 - Place of
death
Numansdorp, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| J | 3 | 15 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Gustave Wolf (father)
Alice A. (Kepple) Wolf (mother)
Gustave H. Wolf (brother)
Joseph F. Wolf (brother)
Charles Wolf (brother)
Norma L. Wolf (sister)
Doris M. Wolf (sister)
Aice Wolf (sister)
Paul Wolf (brother)
Robert L. Wolf (brother)
Marilyn Wolf (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-39868 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Munster, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 1067
More information
The plane exploded in mid air. There was a very heavy front over the English Channel when they took off for Münster in the morning. They reached their target and were on their way back. As they were approaching the front, near the coast of the Netherlands, three Focke-Wolf 190´s came out at about four to six hundred yards distance and engaged them, knocking out their No. 3 engine and also starting fire on the left wing. The airplane was strafed its full length and the interphones shot out. The pilot, is believed to have been hit at that time, because the airplane went into a wide bank and then into a spin, after which it exploded. The bombardier and two enlisted men landed in the water and were picked up by Dutch fisherman who were later overtaken by a German patrol boat.The B-17 was shot down by Oblt Rudolf Leuschel of 8./JG26.
Three men survived and were taken prisoner. Seven men were killed.
The remains of the recovered crew members were initially buried at the cemetery of Rotterdam-Crooswijk.
This was Lt Wolf's fourth mission.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWII Memorial, Fold3, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930-1940 census, Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, John Wolf