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name
SMART, Ozal R - Date of
birth
1914 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Rogers County, Oklahoma -
Hometown
Los Angeles County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19048795 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Automotive Mechanic -
Unit
HQ Battery,
155th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion,
17th Airborne Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 March 1945 - Place of
death
North of Wesel, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 11 | 29 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Walter Smart (father)
Bertha J. (Philpot) Smart (mother)
Orville Smart (brother)
Thelma L. (Crenshaw) Smart (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
unknown -
Data
unknown
More information
Sgt Ozal R. Smart was a mechanic before he joined the Regular Army at Fort MacArthur, California on 27 September 1940. He served as a paratrooper instructor at Camp Callahan and as a military policeman before he was sent overseas.He was a passenger in the CG-4A glider with serialnumber 43-41470 with destination Landing Zone S, north of Wesel, Germany.
The glider pilots who returned had no knowledge of what had happened to the Pilot and Co-Pilot of this glider, or of the glider. This glider was released over the landing zone at 1115 hours and was last seen as it entered the smoke over the landing zone and was not observed after that. Most likely it was shot down over the landing zone.
The crew of two men and three passengers were all killed.
The passengers were members of HQ Battery and Medical Detachment of the 155th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 17th Airborne Division.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, http://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/155/155_honor.html, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet