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Personal info

Full name
HARMON, Curtis Earl
Date of birth
16 December 1923
Age
20
Place of birth
Grantsburg, Burnett County, Wisconsin
Hometown
Grantsburgh, Burnett County, Wisconsin

Military service

Service number
36815593
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner
Unit
750th Bombardment Squadron,
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
30 September 1944
Place of death
Weselerstrasse, Münster, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 3 55

Immediate family

Members
Clement Harmon (father)
Sarah F. Harmon (mother)
Lucy Harmon (sister)
Edith Harmon (sister)
Gladys Harmon (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
43-38538
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Münster, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city, marshalling yard and Handorf airfield
MACR 9525

More information

The airplane was hit by flak. According to witness statements the nose of the airplane crumpled forward and went down. One wing or parts of both wings broke off. There was a bight red flash, apparently forward of the bomb bay between #3 and #4 engines. Parts of the tail section appeared to break off. The aircraft dropped immediately after the apparent explosion, almost leveled off and then went straight down.

The entire crew of ten was killed. They were initially buried at the war prisoners cemetery of Haus Spital, near Münster, most of them as unknowns.

Sgt Curtis E. Harmon is remembered with a memorial marker at Freya Cemetery in Alpha, Burnett County, Wisconsin.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Michel Beckers, Terry Hirsch, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, WWII Draft Card, 1940 US Census

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, 457th Bomber Group Association