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Personal info

Full name
HORNE, Wardell Henry
Date of birth
3 April 1918
Age
25
Place of birth
Sterling, Whiteside County, Illinois
Hometown
Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa

Military service

Service number
6938212
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Unit
533rd Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
30 January 1944
Place of death
EEast of Ottbergen, on the road to Wöhle, six miles east of Hildesheim, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
K 5 20

Immediate family

Members
Bert G. Horne (father)
Mary (Henry) Horne (mother)
Walter R. Horne (brother)
Joyce E. Horne (sister)
Richard M. Horne (brother)
Lowell B. Horne (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31047
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Little Duchess aka Wolverine
Destionation: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 2243

More information

The airplane was attacked by enemy aircraft near Hildesheim, Germany. The aircraft went into a spin and exploded.

Two men were blown out of the plane by the explosion and survived. The remaining eight crew members were killed. They were initially buried at the communicy cemetery of Ottbergen.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Family Trees / 1920 Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, James Blackburn (nephew)