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Personal info

Full name
FREEBORN, Glenn Noel
Date of birth
17 December 1917
Age
26
Place of birth
Redding, Shasta County, California
Hometown
Piedmont, Essex County, California

Military service

Service number
O-561040
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
366th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 March 1944
Place of death
Pfahlhausen-Hude, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 22 18

Immediate family

Members
John Freeborn (father)
Mae Freeborn (mother)
Ethel B. Freeborn (sister)
John E. Freeborn (brother)
Marguerite J. (Ogden) Freeborn (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-37957
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 3432

More information

Glenn N. Freeborn graduated from Cedarville High School and attended the University of California with the class of 1942.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States on 4 April 1942 at Mather Field, California.

The plane was hit by flak in the front compartment after it had difficulty in keeping up with the formation. It dropped it’s bombs and tried to keep up, but was forced to turn back. Five crew members survived and were taken prisoner, five men were killed. They were initially buried at the New Cemetery in Oldenburg on 3 April 1944.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - WWII Draft Card, Oakland Tribune - 6 July 1944

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Oakland Tribune - 6 July 1944