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Submit- Full
name
DONNELLY, Edward Francis - Date of
birth
15 September 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Fayette County, West Virginia -
Hometown
Whipple, Fayette County, West Virginia
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-715739 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
574th Bombardment Squadron,
391st Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
23 December 1944 - Place of
death
3 miles east of Ahrweiler, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
William J. Donnelly (father)
Margaret Donnelly (mother)
William Donnelly (brother)
Margaret Donnelly (sister)
Anna Donnelly (sister)
Josephine Donnelly (sister)
Robert Donnelly (brother)
Mary Donnelly (sister)
Elizabeth Donnelly (sister)
Patricia Donnelly (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-95841 -
Data
Type: B-26B
Nickname: Powerful Katrinka
Destination: Ahrweiler, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 11671
More information
2nd Lt Edward F. Donnelly graduated from Oak Hill High School and was employed at Maher Brothers Corporation.He entered the service on February 1943 at Frederick Field, Oklahoma.
Statement from Weston A. Loegering, Sgt, AAF, ASN 37564530.
I was flying as armorer-gunner in top turret, low flight, second box, on a mission to bomb Ahrweiler, (R/R Viaduct) Germany, 23 December 1944. During the second bomb run over the target, enemy fighters attacked my flight from the right. The aircraft in No. 2 position, piloted by Lt Detjens, (41-35010) received most of the fire. He dropped out of formation and began to lose altitude. No. 3 position, piloted by Lt Donnelly (42-95841) left the formation but I did not see where he went. He was apparently hit by flak because fighters did not attack him. No. 4 position, piloted by Captain Brown, (42-95865) left his position and occupied position no. 2. Shortly after covering position No. 2, Captain Brown´s aircraft was attacked by fighters and the tail was shot off. I saw the aircraft about 500 feet below me and apparently out of control. I saw no chutes from any of the mentioned aircraft.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com
Photo source: www.ancestry.com, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 44C, Frederick Army Air Field, Oklahoma, Pilot Class Book 44-C, Majors Army Air Field, Greenville, Texas.