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Personal info

Full name
DAYTON, William Grant
Date of birth
9 April 1911
Age
32
Place of birth
Parksville, Sullivan County, New York
Hometown
Sullivan County, New York

Military service

Service number
32335786
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator
Unit
423rd Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
26 July 1943
Place of death
At the farm of the Hofkamp-Boerlo Family, Vriescheloo, Tijdensweg 23, The Netherlands
Vriescheloo, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
B 2 26

Immediate family

Members
Joseph H. Dayton (father)
Laura J. Dayton (mother)
Joseph H. Dayton Jr. (brother)
Laura M. (Loughrey) Dayton (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30156
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Hanover Germany
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic rubber plant
MACR: 127

More information

William Dayton was a farmer.

He enlisted at Fort Jay, Governors Island in New York on 13 May 1943.

Over the Frisian Islands the airplane was hit by flak, which took of the vertical stabiliser.

The waist gunner, Sgt White, declared after the war that he went to check on Sgt Dayton and discovered he had been decapitated.

Seven crew members survived and were taken prisoner, three were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, MACR, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree / Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 Census / U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Benny Curfs