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Submit- Full
name
SPARKS, Joseph A - Date of
birth
6 February 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Cook County, Illinois -
Hometown
Cook County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-676604 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
367th Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
11 January 1944 - Place of
death
Vlessendijk, near the farm of Mr. Kremer
Nieuw Heeten, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| I | 7 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Stanley J. Sparks (father)
Emily (Sczicky) Sparks (mother)
Stanley Sparks (brother)
Robert J. Sparks (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31236 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Arch Bishop
Mission: Halberstadt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Junkers aviation industry
MACR: 1933
More information
1st Lt Joseph A. Sparks graduated from Thomas Kelly High School. and was a draftsman.He joined the National Guard in Chicago, Illinois on 5 March 1941.
The plane #42-31538 collided with plane #42-31236 after being attacked by a FW 190 of II/JG26.
All crew members of both airplanes, twenty men in total, were killed.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.fold.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 ensus
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, http://www.teunispats.nl/fr-wwii.htm, Teunis Schuurman, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-05, Big Spring Flying School, Texas