Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
SWANSON, Stanley Daniel - Date of
birth
5 March 1920 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois -
Hometown
Cook County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36692222 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
748th Bombardment Squadron,
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
16 February 1945 - Place of
death
Castrop-Rauxel, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Theodore D. Swanson (father)
Amanda E. (Malmstrom) Swanson (mother)
Sherman T. Swanson (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-6831 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
MACR: 12435
More information
The aircraft was apparently hit by flak in the number 3 engine. The right wing folded up, broke off and went down. The rest of the airplane turned over on its back. It was burning.After the aircraft turned over on its back, it appeared to continue to roll, completing two slow rolls. It then went down in a sort of spin. There was an explosion as the aircraft went down, but the aircraft was not seen to disintegrate. It was seen until it was 3,000 feet to 4,000 feet below the formation. It was then lost to view in contrails. Two to four parachutes were seen to come out of the airplane at intervals as the aircraft was spinning. A/C 831, which was flying deputy lead of the low squadron, dropped its bombs about two minutes before the lead aircraft. This was done without any signal to take over being given by the squadron leader. A/C 831 then closed its bomb bay doors and flew in formation until it was apparently hit by flak.
Source of information: Michel Beckers, 457thbombgroupassoc.org, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / Birth Index
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, 457thbombgroupassoc.org