Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
EASON, Wilbert Everett - Date of
birth
1 April 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Selma, Johnston County, North Carolina -
Hometown
Northampton County, North Carolina
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
34316279 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator -
Unit
533rd Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
30 January 1944 - Place of
death
De Rakt, Deurne
Deurne, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| H | 10 | 3 |
Immediate family
-
Members
James E. Eason (father)
Leonora M. (Phillips) Eason (mother)
James T. Eason (brother)
Leone Eason (sister)
Preston L. Eason (brother)
Helen C. Eason (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-29761 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Martha the II
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 2244
More information
Wilbert Eason worked in a warehouse.He enlisted at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on 14 August 1942.
The airplane was attacked by German fighters before it reached the target area which knocked out #2 engine. Later it was hit by flak which caused the left wing to get on fire. Because it was unable to get the fire out, most of the crew abandoned the airplane near Deurne, the Netherlands.
Six crew members survived and were taken prisoner, four men were killed.
Sgt Eason managed to bail out but his parachute failed to open.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com - family tree / Birth Record, www.fold3.com
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov