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Personal info

Full name
BROWN, Bernard Benedict
Date of birth
28 June 1923
Age
20
Place of birth
Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut
Hometown
New Haven County, Connecticut

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