Eighth from the left
Army Serial Number - 31120200
Radioman - "Man-O-War"
323rd Squadron
91st Bomb Group (Heavy)
American Air Force
World War II
Purple Heart
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).
**********
Information below from graver:
https://www.findagrave.com/user/profile/49559274
He entered the U.S. Army Air Force from Providence County, Rhode Island on 5 June 1942 as a Private.
Returning from a bombing mission to Kassel, Germany the limping aircraft was attacked by a German fighter and was shot down. 8 crewmembers bailed out but were attacked by the German aircraft. From a crew of ten, two died in the aircraft, six died as a result of the strafing, and the other two were captured by German ground forces.
Army Serial Number - 31120200
Radioman - "Man-O-War"
323rd Squadron
91st Bomb Group (Heavy)
American Air Force
World War II
Purple Heart
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).
**********
Information below from graver:
https://www.findagrave.com/user/profile/49559274
He entered the U.S. Army Air Force from Providence County, Rhode Island on 5 June 1942 as a Private.
Returning from a bombing mission to Kassel, Germany the limping aircraft was attacked by a German fighter and was shot down. 8 crewmembers bailed out but were attacked by the German aircraft. From a crew of ten, two died in the aircraft, six died as a result of the strafing, and the other two were captured by German ground forces.
Eighth from the left
Army Serial Number - 31120200
Radioman - "Man-O-War"
323rd Squadron
91st Bomb Group (Heavy)
American Air Force
World War II
Purple Heart
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).
**********
Information below from graver:
https://www.findagrave.com/user/profile/49559274
He entered the U.S. Army Air Force from Providence County, Rhode Island on 5 June 1942 as a Private.
Returning from a bombing mission to Kassel, Germany the limping aircraft was attacked by a German fighter and was shot down. 8 crewmembers bailed out but were attacked by the German aircraft. From a crew of ten, two died in the aircraft, six died as a result of the strafing, and the other two were captured by German ground forces.
Army Serial Number - 31120200
Radioman - "Man-O-War"
323rd Squadron
91st Bomb Group (Heavy)
American Air Force
World War II
Purple Heart
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).
**********
Information below from graver:
https://www.findagrave.com/user/profile/49559274
He entered the U.S. Army Air Force from Providence County, Rhode Island on 5 June 1942 as a Private.
Returning from a bombing mission to Kassel, Germany the limping aircraft was attacked by a German fighter and was shot down. 8 crewmembers bailed out but were attacked by the German aircraft. From a crew of ten, two died in the aircraft, six died as a result of the strafing, and the other two were captured by German ground forces.
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