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Personal info

Full name
CLABAUGH, Paul H
Date of birth
1 October 1920
Age
23
Place of birth
West Providence Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Everett, Bedford County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
33249144
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner
Unit
412th Bombardment Squadron,
95th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
11 December 1943
Place of death
North Sea, off the coast of Langeoog, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Charles A. Clabaugh (father)
Jennie F. (Layton) Clabaugh (mother)
Mildred Clabaugh (sister)
Ross Clabaugh (brother)
John Clabaugh (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30182
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Blondie II
Destination: Emden, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the industrial area
MACR: 1562

More information

S/Sgt Paul H. Clabaugh was employed as a miller at C.A. Clabaugh & Son in Everett.

He enlisted in Altoona, Pennsylvania on 1 August 1942.

Statement from David E. Olsson, 1st Lt, Air Corps, Asst. Operations Officer:
"B-17, 42-30182m, piloted by 2nd Lt J.D. Moore, was last seen near the enemy coast, with No. 4 engine on fire. Six chutes were seen to leave the ship."

The airplane ditched off the coast of Langeoog. The entire crew of ten men was killed. Their remains were never recovered. Eight of them are remembered on the Walls of the Missing at Margraten. Two, Frank Abbadessa and Leonard Eaton, are remembered on the Walls of the Missing at Cambridge Cemetery.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com, IDPF

Photo source: Tom Clabaugh, Everett Press - 24 December 1943