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Personal info

Full name
WATSON, Wayne Evan
Date of birth
25 July 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Otis, Lincoln County, Oregon
Hometown
Willits, Mendocino County, California

Military service

Service number
39139056
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
851st Bombardment Squadron,
490th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
5 April 1945
Place of death
Sommelsdijk, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 8 12

Immediate family

Members
Finis Watson (father)
Venie (McCauley) Watson (mother)
Birdie G. Watson (sister)
Lilly M. Watson (sister)
John B. Watson (brother)
Lester A. Watson (brother)
Pearlee C. Watson (sister)
Lloyd D. Watson (brother)
Estella Watson (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
43-38131
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Miss Mary Kary
Destination: Unterschlauersbach, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 13854

More information

Sgt Wayne E. Watson enlisted in San Francisco, California on 24 August 1943.

Around 1325 hours the aircraft was hit by flak from German naval vessels in the harbor of Middelharnis. It caught fire and crashed in a field in Westplaat-polder in Sommelsdijk. Members of the Red Cross recovered the bodies and brought them to the morgue of the general cemetery in Sommelsdijk where they were buried on Saturday 7 April 1945. The entire crew of nine was killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Michel Beckers, Danny van der Groen, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com -MACR 13854, Bombs Away!, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record, WWII Draft Card, 1920 US Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten