Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
HUGHES, Hal Kimber - Date of
birth
22 August 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Greenville, Hunt County, Texas -
Hometown
Dallas County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-674198 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
571st Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
11 October 1943 - Place of
death
Ost Bevern, northeast of Munster, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 12 | 12 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Thomas A. Hughes (father)
Jewell G. Hughes (mother)
Billie C. Hughes (sister)
Charles W. Hughes (brother)
Kolema Hughes (sister)
Ada L. Hughes (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30826 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Spirit of the Union Pacific
Destination: Munster, Germany
MACR: 863
More information
1st Lt Hal K. Hughes graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1940.Lt Hal Hughes successfully bailed out but was severely injured by a flak burst during his descent and later died in a German hospital.
Lt Hughes was seen in the hospital in Greven, Germany by crew members Esseltine and Runser. At that time, he told them that he did not know how he lost his leg.
Lt Stoliar reported that Hughes lost his leg due to a flak burst, and that he died in the hospital at Greven (Krankenhaus-Greven-by-Munster).
Capt Short later reported that he had been told that Lt Hughes had died in the German orthopedic hospital at Obermassfeld, Germany, and was buried at that same location.
Sgt Armstrong later reported that just before reaching the ground, Lt Hughes struck a roof, then struck an iron spike fence.
Additional information about this plane and its mission can be found at http://utahrails.net/up/up-b-17.php.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, http://utahrails.net, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com, Texas Birth Index
Photo source: Michel Beckers, Mark Short, Woodrow Wilson High School 1940