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name
BURNETTE, R L - Date of
birth
1925 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Georgia -
Hometown
Lutz, Hillsborough County, Florida
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
14189079 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
358th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
22 January 1945 - Place of
death
Oberhausen-Sterkrade, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 6 | 18 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Reverand Heard T. Burnette (father)
Jessie P. (Turner) Burnette (mother)
R.D. Burnette (brother)
Mildred L. Burnette (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38530 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Sterkrade, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic oil plant
MACR: 11758
More information
S/Sgt R. L. Burnette graduated from Hillsborough High School.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Miami Beach, Florida on 14 November 1943.
The airplane received a direct hit in #2 engine from A/A gunfire. The left wing broke off and the it went down with his left side burning. Several witnesses reported that it then exploded in the air. Two to three parachutes were reported to have seen just about the time the airplane exploded, as if some of crew had been blown out.
Seven crew members were killed, two were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.303rdbg.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree
Photo source: Michel Beckers, Family Tree, The Tampa Tribune - 17 February 1945, Tracy Clark