Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
HERLTH, August E - Date of
birth
4 August 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Baltimore, Maryland -
Hometown
Catonsville, Baltimore County, Maryland
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-679511 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
711th Bombardment Squadron,
447th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
2 November 1944 - Place of
death
1 km northeast of Schladebach, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
August E. Herlth (father)
Anna Herlth (mother)
Charles P. Herlth (brother)
Edward W. Herlth (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97634 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Merseburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 10164
More information
1st Lt August E. Herlth enlisted on 10 February 1941 in Baltimore, Maryland.The aircraft received a direct flak hit on the right wing tip at 27,000 feet, a few seconds after bombs away. The plane flipped over on its back and burst into flames. Parts of the plane were seen to fall away. The plane then went down in a tight spin. One chute was observed.
August didn't have an opportunity to bail out. Five bodies were found in the plane; his was unidentified. It is believed that nobody in the forward part of the ship had the opportunity to bail out.
Source of information: Astrid van Erp, Carla Mans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com, www.fold3.com
Photo source: Astrid van Erp, www.findagrave.com - LRobin