Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
ANDERSON, Ernest L "Ernie"
Date of birth
1 April 1919
Age
24
Place of birth
Leonard, Cass County, North Dakota
Hometown
Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota

Military service

Service number
O-731784
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
558th Bombardment Squadron,
387th Bombardment Group, Medium
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
31 August 1943
Place of death
Airfield
Lille, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
P 4 11

Immediate family

Members
Carl L. Anderson (father)
Mattie Anderson (mother)
Elsie Anderson (sister)
Margret Anderson (sister)
Allen Anderson (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
41-31653
Data
Type: B-26A
Nickname: King Bee
Destination: Lille, France
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 471

More information

1st Lt. Ernest L. Anderson graduated from Fargo High School in 1937 where he was active in sports and was in the National Honor Society. He was employed by the Merchants National Bank & Trust Company.

Statement from T/Sgt Clinton C. Guy, a crew member of another B-26 in the same group:
"We were over target and bomb-bay doors were just opening. I was facing the rear of our ship, and looking through our front bomb-bay. The lost ship was at that time flying to the right of ours, suddenly, I saw it nose over and as it came into full view, I saw that the rear third of the ship was missing. The remaining section went into a tight spin for about 1500 feet. then went into a flat spin. I followed it visually until the ship was almost to the ground, and knowing the crash was inevitable, turned away."

One crew member survived. He was wounded, taken prisoner and evacuated to the Albert Calmette hospital in Lille. The other five crew members were killed and initially buried at the cemetery of the hospital.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.archives.gov, B26.com, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Fred, B26.com, www.ancestry.com - Fargo High School, 1937