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name
BROWN, Bernard Benedict - Date of
birth
28 June 1923 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut -
Hometown
New Haven County, Connecticut
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
31278946 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
410th Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
11 January 1944 - Place of
death
Road from Abbeile to Eltze
unknown
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 22 | 16 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John F. Brown (father)
Agnes Brown (mother)
Stephen Brown (brother)
Herman Brown (brother)
Francis I. Brown (brother)
Maxine Brown (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30248 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: The Prodigal Son
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
MACR: 1889
More information
Pilot's account: "We continued to fall behind and were under continuous attack. I could see the tail guns of every plane in the formation spitting flames at the Jerries behind us. I was taking violent evasive actions in response to the calls from my gunners, they were all attacking from the rear. Both my Waist Gunners called out that they had downded a Jerry and my engineer was shooting continuously. One of the Jerries finally got out range with 20mm and one exploded just in front of our left wing root and hitting the Navigator in his arm and leg. My right waist gunner called out that the tail was just about shot off by a rocket. I found I couldn't hold the plane on a straight course it kept pulling to the left. I turned on the automatic pilot, it kept us fairly straight but put us in a climb that couldn't be corrected. My Co-Pilot suggested we bail out and started to get out of his seat. I called the crew to prepare to bail out, flicked off the automatic pilot and let the plane go into a left spin. I had meant for the boys just to put their chutes on and wait for further orders, but they all figured it was time to go and started out immediately. When we had spin one or two turns, I tried to pull the plane out of spinning but found it was uncontrollable. I called "bail out boys, bail out!" but don't believe anyone was there to hear me. My Co-Pilot's chute opened in the cockpit and he had gone out with it in his arms, after helping the Navigator out.Lt. Randall's plane finally crashed near the road Abbeile - Eltse, Burgdorf County at about 12:35 hours.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census
Photo source: Mireille Goedhart