First on the right

Army Serial Number (?) 36235813

Engineer - "Man-O-War"
323rd Squadron
91st Bomb Group (Heavy)
American Air Force
World War II

Purple Heart

Although his marker states he is from Wisconsin, he may have been born in Minnesota and enlisted at Fort Sheridan, IL February 24, 1942.

After a bombing raid on the Messerschmitt factory in Kassel (Germany) the crew tried to get back to their base in England. But at 11:00 their B17 of the 91 Bomb Group American Air Force with the name 'Man-O-War', was shot down by German fighter planes. The plane crashed in Opijnen, eight of the ten crew members died on impact. These eight men are interred in this cemetery.

Crew photo page 12 in the link below.

http://www.91stbombgroup.com/memorials/opijnen.html

NOTES:

S/Sgt. Hermon D. Poling, Tail Gunner; S/Sgt. Harold R. Sparks, Waist Gunner; S/Sgt. George R. Krueger, Waist Gunner; 2nd Lt. John P. Bruce, Co-pilot; 2nd. Lt. Keene C. McCammon, Pilot; 2nd Lt. Daniel V. Ohman, Bombardier; S/Sgt. Mike A. Perrota, Ball Turret Gunner; T/Sgt. Douglas V. Blackwood, Radio Operator; T/Sgt. Americo Cianfichi, Engineer. Not pictured, 1st Lt. Robert U. Duggan, Navigator.



Man O War - The original navigator, Gill, was replaced by 1st Lt. Robert U. Duggan (neither of which is shown in this photo). Gill was not in this photo as he was KIA with Forsblad's crew aboard the Stricnine, just 10 days before this crew was shot down on July 30, 1943. Only McCammon and Bruce survived. Crew members KIA can be referenced at the Opijnen Memorial and the 91st BG Memorial page (under Opijnen).

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NARA Information:
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER - 36235813
NAME CIANFICHI # AMERICO
RESIDENCE: STATE - Undefined Code
RESIDENCE: COUNTY - Undefined Code
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT - FT SHERIDAN ILLINOIS
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY - 24
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH - 02
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR - 42
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION - Private
GRADE: CODE - Private
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION - Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
BRANCH: CODE - Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL - Civil Life
NATIVITY - MINNESOTA
YEAR OF BIRTH - 15
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP - White, citizen
EDUCATION - 3 years of high school
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION - Teachers and instructors, n.e.c.
MARITAL STATUS - Single, without dependents

Information Below provided by graver:
https://www.findagrave.com/user/profile/47396333

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http://people.mnhs.org/finder/bci/1915-30949
Cianifchi, Americo
Birth Certificate Index
Certificate Number: 1915-30949
Birth: August 31, 1915 - however, WWII draft registration states August 30, 1915 which matches his memorial marker on this site.
County of Birth: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Subject: Birth records
Type: Text, Government Record, Historical Records
Mother's Maiden Name: Rossi

Sister - Clara (Cianfichi) {Tribolini} Casagrande - b. abt 1897 - d. early April 1990
Sister - Albina (Cianfichi) Galli