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name
BIDNEY, Joseph Ray - Date of
birth
4 September 1920 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Buffalo, Erie County, New York -
Hometown
Lackawanna, Erie County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32582773 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
702nd Bombardment Squadron,
445th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
24 February 1944 - Place of
death
1 km southwest of Driedorf, near the Stausee Lake, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| M | 9 | 9 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Constantine Bidney (father)
Anna Bidney (mother)
John Bidney (brother)
Sophie Bidney (sister)
Mary Bidney (sister)
Anna Bidney (sister)
Helen Bidney (sister)
Stella Bidney (sister)
Walter Bidney (brother)
Josephine Bidney (sister)
Dorothy Bidney (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-7517 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Too Tired
Destination: Gotha, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the aircraft industry
MACR: 2551
More information
S/Sgt Joseph R. Bidney attended Lackawanna High School and was employed by the Bethlehem Steel Company.He enlisted in Buffalo, New York on 17 November 1942.
The airplane was shot down by enemy fighters. The entire crew of nine was killed. They were initially buried at the local cemetery of Driedorf.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Joseph Nendza (nephew)