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Submit- Full
name
DOUGHERTY, William George - Date of
birth
16 September 1921 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Wysox, Bradford County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Towanda, Bradford County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O2005922 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
563rd Bombardment Squadron,
388th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
15 March 1945 - Place of
death
North of Osnabrück, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Paul J. Dougherty (father)
Florence E. (Van der Pool) Dougherty (mother)
Robert E. Dougherty (brother)
Ruth S. Dougherty (sister)
Rosemary (Coleman) Dougherty (wife)
Kathleen D. Dougherty (daughter)
Rose M. Dougherty (daughter)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-8594 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Oranienburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 13094
More information
The initial target was the marshalling yard of Oraniënburg, but 31 aircraft, including #44-8594, bombed the marshalling yard of Wittenberg as a target of opportunity.On the bomb run one engine was hit by anti-aircraft fire. A few minutes later this engine was lost and the aircraft had to leave the formation. The plane flew towards friendly territory for two hours without any trouble. Finally, only three minutes from friendly territory, the plane was hit again by anti-aircraft fire, knocking out another engine and causing a large hole in one wing. Due to this damage, the plane went into a spin.
Four crew members survived, five were killed. The remains of Lt Dougherty were never recovered.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancesty.com - Dougherty Family Tree / 1930 Census
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Charlotte DeWan Adams