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Personal info

Full name
HILLWEG, Charles Ullysses
Date of birth
15 December 1920
Age
23
Place of birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Hometown
Monroe County, New York

Military service

Service number
O-690568
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
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
Dr. Charles U. Hillweg Sr. (father)
Florence R. (Meloy) Hillweg (mother)
Jeanette (Marlowe) Hillweg (wife)

Plane data

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

More information

1st Lt Charles U. Hillweg enlisted as an aviation cadet in September, 1942, at Fort Erie, New York. After receiving his commission from the bombardier school at Big Springs, Tex., he was sent to Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. He flew from Idaho to England in the spring of 1944. Lt Hillweg had 900 hours of flying time to his credit at the time of his death and the bombing run over Berlin was his 28th mission with the 8th Air Force.

Lt Hillweg was one of 11 men in the lead plane of a bomber squadron which was making a run over Berlin. The plane was shot down, and only one man survived.

The airplane left formation after bombs away and was hit by fighters and flak.

Source of information: Michel Beckers, Eric Swain 490th Bomb Group, Laura Phillips, www.ancestry.com, newspaper article

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Eric Swain 490th Bomb Group, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-12, Big Spring Flying School, Texas / Pilot Class Book 43-G, Stamford Flying School, Arledge, Texas