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Personal info

Full name
DORR, Earle Leroy Jr
Date of birth
15 November 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
Rhode Island
Hometown
Providence County, Rhode Island

Military service

Service number
31293194
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
850th Bombardment Squadron,
490th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
5 December 1944
Place of death
Gross Zerlang, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Earl L. Dorr Sr. (father)
A. Ruth (Grimley) Dorr (mother)
Philip G. Dorr (brother)
David W. Dorr (brother)
William G. Dorr (brother)
Gerald M. Dorr (brother)
George R. Dorr (brother)
Ella (Zelano) Dorr (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
44-8140
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
MACR: 11046

More information

S/Sgt Earle L. Dorr Jr. enlisted in Providence, Rhode Island on 22 April 1943.

He married Ella Zelano on 27 December 1943. His mother A. Ruth Grimley Dorr was the President of the "Gold Star Mother" representing Rhode Island.

S/Sgt Dorr was a crew-member of a B-17 (Flying Fortress) aircraft which was severely damaged by enemy aircraft fire, causing the crew to bail out. The crew-member who returned stated that all the crew bailed out safely, but that he did not see or hear of them after he landed, in the target area, Berlin, Germany. It was assumed that S/Sgt Dorr was either picked up by civilians or landed in the target area amid exploding bombs.

The airplane left formation at 1044 hours immediately after bombs away. The missing A/C was heard calling for fighter support by the Lead Aircraft in the Low Squadron and was later heard by this same aircraft to have received fighter support.

Source of information: Michel Beckers, Eric Swain/490th Bomb Group, Paul R. Dorr (nephew), Ellen Dorr Smith (niece), www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.findagrave.com

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Ellen Dorr Smith, Eric Swain/490th Bomb Group