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name
BLANTON, Claude Thomas - Date of
birth
10 January 1919 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Gaffney, Cherokee County, South Carolina -
Hometown
Gaffney, Cherokee County, South Carolina
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
14125541 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
366th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
29 May 1944 - Place of
death
Baltic Sea, off the coast of Sassnitz, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Landrum B. Blanton (father)
Ida L. Blanton (mother)
Grady P. Blanton (brother)
Ernest J. Blanton (brother)
Hetty E. Blanton (sister)
Mary B. (Pettit) Blanton (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-38176 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Our Baby
Destination: Cottbus, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Focke-Wulf aviation industry
MACR: 5337
More information
S/Sgt Claude T. Blanton was a filling station attendant.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Fort Jackson, South Carolina on 30 October 1942.
The aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters just after the target. It kept in the formation until 14.22 hours, at 5455N-1330E, where ten parachutes were seen to come out. Immediately after, the aircraft went out of control, lost altitude, and hit the water, and exploded. All ten parachutes landed in the water close to land and several boats were seen nearby.
Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner, eight men were killed. The deceased men that could be recovered were buried at the New Cemetery of Wiek on Rügen Island on 30 May 1944.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Gaffney Ledger