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Service Details |
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Personal Details
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Home State
Pennsylvania | |
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Year of Birth
Not Specified |
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This Military Service Page was created/owned by
CMSgt Don Skinner-Deceased
to remember
Seman, Andrew, SSgt.
If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
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Casualty Info
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Home Town
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Last Address
352nd Bomb Squadron
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Casualty Date
Mar 22, 1943 |
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Cause
Hostile, Died while Missing |
Reason
Air Loss, Crash - Land |
Location
Italy |
Conflict
World War II |
Location of Interment
Sylvan Heights Cemetery - Oliver, Pennsylvania |
Wall/Plot Coordinates
Not Specified |
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1941-1942, United States Army Air Forces (USAAF)
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1942-1942, AAF MOS 611, 301st Bombardment Group, Heavy
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1942-1943, AAF MOS 611, 301st Bombardment Group, Heavy
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1942-1943, AAF MOS 611, 352nd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy
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Last Known Activity
According to sources, Andrew Seman was born on February 16, 1917 in Pennsylvania. Nothing else has been located concerning his early life.
His first appearance in the military record is a notation in 301st Bomb Group records that he was wounded in action on the October 9, 1942 raid on Lille, France as a member of the Hair crew. He was transferred along with this crew to North Africa in November, 1942.
On March 22, 1943, the crew was part of a bombing raid on Palermo, Sicily, harbor. Over the target, the aircraft was hit by flak, setting the left wing fuel tank on fire. This fire spread to the interior, then the aircraft exploded. Five of the crew were killed; the rest, although some were injured, made successful parachute landings, and were captured by Italian forces before being handed over to the Germans.
All the dead were recovered, and supposedly buried in a local cemetery. After the war ended, Seman's body was recovered and returned to his family for burial. He lies today in the Sylvan Heights Cemetery in Oliver, Pennsylvania.
www.findagrave.com
www.301stbg.com/301st_bombardment_group.cfm
www.301stbg.com/missions_Macrs.cfm
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Comments/Citation
SSgt Andrew Seman was the assigned ball turret gunner on B-17F #42-5179, named "Junior," assigned to the 352nd Bomb Squadron.
Missing Air Crew Report 16153 covers this loss. Mission loading lists show the crew as:
1 Lt James M. Hair p
1 Lt Lonnie L. Miers, Jr. c-p
1 Lt Alexander Yonych nav
1 Lt Emmet Cook bomb
TSgt Louis F. Patriquin eng/tt gun
Sgt Ervin E. Byrnes r/o
SSgt Andrew Seman btg
Sgt Jimmie McLaughlin wg
SSgt Douglas Upton tail gun
Ranks and grades as of mission date.
In the crew photo of "Holy Joe," Seman is 2nd from left.
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