Army Serial Number - 33273603 - Enlisted July 17, 1942
Ball Turret - "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).
Army Serial Number - 33273603 - Enlisted July 17, 1942
Ball Turret - "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).
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