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Personal info

Full name
TADJE, John W
Date of birth
21 October 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah
Hometown
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah

Military service

Service number
O-717292
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
750th Bombardment Squadron,
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
30 September 1944
Place of death
Weselerstrasse, Münster, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 9 54

Immediate family

Members
Fred W. Tadje (father)
Eliza S. (Walz) Tadje (mother)
Fred W. Tadje (brother)
Harold W. Tadje (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
43-38538
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Münster, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city, marshalling yard and Handorf airfield
MACR 9525

More information

1st Lt John W. Tadje attended West High School and studied at the University of Utah for 2 years.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve as an aviation cadet in Santa Ana, California on 22 March 1943.

The airplane was hit by flak. According to witness statements, the nose of the airplane crumpled forward and went down. One wing or parts of both wings broke off. There was a bright red flash, apparently forward of the bomb bay or between #3 and #4 engines. Parts of the tail section appeared to break off. The aircraft dropped immediately after the apparent explosion, almost leveled off and then went straight down.

The entire crew of ten was killed. They were initially buried at the war prisoners cemetery of Haus Spital, near Münster, most of them as unknowns.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, 457thbombgroupassoc.org, www.ancestry.com - Utah, Military Records, www.8thafhs.com, www.fold3.com - MACR

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, www.newspapers.com - The Salt Lake Tribune, www.newspapers.com - West High School Yearbook 1938