Son of Mrs. Mary E. King who resided in Washington, D.C.

George served as a Sergeant & Ball Turret Gunner on B-17G #42-102421, 708th Bomber Squadron, 447th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Washington, D.C. prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army on April 21, 1943 at Fort Myer, Virginia. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Machinist's apprentice and also as Single, with dependents.

B-17G #42-102421 took off from Station 126, Rattlesden, England on a bombing mission over Berlin, Germany.

About 10 minutes prior to reaching their target they were attacked by German Fighter Aircraft. The attack caused fires to erupt in the cockpit & tail section. They crashed near Helmstedt, Germany. Two parachutes were seen leaving the B-17.

George was "Killed In Action" in this attack during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

He was originally interred in Europe and was later repatriated here on January 11, 1950.

Service # 33740113

The reason he is named on a group headstone is because when soldiers & sailors were killed in close proximity to each other they were unable, at that time, to identify them separately and interred their remains together in one grave.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-102421:

Arnold, Vernon E ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, IN
Brownson, Francis N ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, CA
Conti, Sandy ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, VT
Dowler, Charles R ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, WY
King, George R ~ Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, D.C.
Kleps, Fred W, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Navigator, OH
Kramer, George F, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, PA
Marabito, John J ~ Sgt, Tail Gunner, PA
Steinhafel, Lawrence ~ Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, WI

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who became a POW from
B-17G #42-102421:

Shimp, Kenneth U ~ Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, PA

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Son of Mrs. Mary E. King who resided in Washington, D.C.

George served as a Sergeant & Ball Turret Gunner on B-17G #42-102421, 708th Bomber Squadron, 447th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Washington, D.C. prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army on April 21, 1943 at Fort Myer, Virginia. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Machinist's apprentice and also as Single, with dependents.

B-17G #42-102421 took off from Station 126, Rattlesden, England on a bombing mission over Berlin, Germany.

About 10 minutes prior to reaching their target they were attacked by German Fighter Aircraft. The attack caused fires to erupt in the cockpit & tail section. They crashed near Helmstedt, Germany. Two parachutes were seen leaving the B-17.

George was "Killed In Action" in this attack during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

He was originally interred in Europe and was later repatriated here on January 11, 1950.

Service # 33740113

The reason he is named on a group headstone is because when soldiers & sailors were killed in close proximity to each other they were unable, at that time, to identify them separately and interred their remains together in one grave.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-102421:

Arnold, Vernon E ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, IN
Brownson, Francis N ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, CA
Conti, Sandy ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, VT
Dowler, Charles R ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, WY
King, George R ~ Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, D.C.
Kleps, Fred W, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Navigator, OH
Kramer, George F, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, PA
Marabito, John J ~ Sgt, Tail Gunner, PA
Steinhafel, Lawrence ~ Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, WI

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who became a POW from
B-17G #42-102421:

Shimp, Kenneth U ~ Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, PA

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~