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Casualty Info
Home Town Chicago, IL
Last Address RAF Knettishall, England
Casualty Date Apr 09, 1944
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Baltic Sea
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Rock Island National Cemetery (VA) - Rock Island, Illinois
On April 9, 1944, B-17G s/n 42-107076 assigned to 563rd Bomb Squdron, 388th Bomb Group took off from RAF Knettishall. Target: the Focke-Wulf Aircraft factory at Poznan, Poland.
The crew consisted of:
1st Lt. Vincent F. Sundsrom, Pilot
1st Lt. John R. Vlymen, Jr., Co-pilot
2nd Lt. Alexander G. Bruce, Bombadier
SSgt. Manuel Weintraub, Nose Gunner
TSgt. John C. Rose, Radio Operator
SSgt. Norman D. Gallagher, Engineer
SSgt. Sidney Schneider, Ball Turret Gunner
SSgt Phillip Scriffignano, Left Waist Gunner
Sgt. Adolph Waluck, Right Waist Gunner
SSgt. Eugene S. Budzbanowski, Tail Gunner
On the return flight, the aircraft crashed into the Baltic Sea. All on board were killed. The crew flew their first combat mission on December 23, 1943. They flew their 32nd and last on April 9, 1944. B-17G s/n 42-107076 flew 3 combat sorties. The first on April 1, 1944. The last on April 9, 1944. The aircraft was not named.
