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name
GIOFFE, Frank A - Date of
birth
22 December 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Manhattan, New York County, New York -
Hometown
Queens, Queens County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-815879 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
366th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
29 May 1944 - Place of
death
Baltic Sea, off the coast of Sassnitz, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Helen L. (Donodeo) Gioffe (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-38176 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Our Baby
Destination: Cottbus, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Focke-Wulf aviation industry
MACR: 5337
More information
Frank Gioffe attended high school for four years and was a clerk.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in New York City, New York on 22 July 1942.
The aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters just after the target. It kept in the formation untill 14.22 hours, at 5455N-1330E, where ten parachutes were seen to come out. Immediately after, the aircraft went out of control, lost altitude, and hit the water, and exploded. All ten parachutes landed in the water close to land and several boats were seen nearby. Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner, eight men were killed. The deceased men that could be recovered were buried at the New Cemetery of Wiek on Rügen Island on 30 May 1944.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Helen Donodeo