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name
ANDERSEN, Donald Wynn "Bee" - Date of
birth
23 January 1923 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska -
Hometown
Valley, Douglas County, Nebraska
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37477645 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator -
Unit
751st Bombardment Squadron,
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
28 September 1944 - Place of
death
Dorstadt, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 12 | 18 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Einar Andersen (father)
Leota P. (Byars) Andersen (mother)
Robert K. Andersen (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-37518 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Gini
Destination: Magdeburg
Mission: Bombing of the Krupp-Grusonwerke armaments industry
MACR: 9768
More information
T/Sgt Donald W. Andersen graduated from Valley High School.The plane was hit by fighters just moments after turning on the IP. He salvoed his bombs and with a fire near #3 engine, the plane went into a dive. No parachutes were seen. The attack lasted 13 minutes. There were about 50 ME-109s and FW-190s that hit from below at six and nine o'clock. The damage was done by 30 mm cannon shells and this plane, along with four others in the Squadron, left the formation and crashed in Germany.
All nine crew members were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Vincent/Wright/Gilmore Family Tree, Homepage - The 457th Bomb Group (H) Association (457thbombgroupassoc.org)
Photo source: Nico Leers, Homepage - The 457th Bomb Group (H) Association (457thbombgroupassoc.org)