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Personal info

Full name
HOPWOOD, Lawrence Richard
Date of birth
26 September 1921
Age
21
Place of birth
Bourbon, Crawford County, Missouri
Hometown
Crawford County, Missouri

Military service

Service number
37369953
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Waist Gunner
Unit
563rd Bombardment Squadron,
388th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
26 July 1943
Place of death
Holtland, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 11 2

Immediate family

Members
Frank Hopwood (father)
Bertha (Enke) Hopwood (mother)
Charles W. Hopwood (brother)
Herbert E. Hopwood (brother)
Frederick W. Hopwood (brother)
Henry L. Hopwood (brother)
Anna M. Hopwood (sister)
Martha Hopwood (sister)
Auretta Hopwood (sister)
William Hopwood (brother)
Arthur Hopwood (brother)
Raymond Hopwood (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30208
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Homesick Angel
Destination: Hannover, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Hannover-Limmer rubber plant
MACR: 3142

More information

Lawrence Hopwood was a lumberman.

He enlisted at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri on 30 June 1942.

The aircraft was hit by flak in the target area and attacked by enemy fighters on the way back.

Five crew members survived and were taken prisoner, five men were killed.

This was their fourth mission.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.newspapers.com - St. Clair Chronicle

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Dick Henggeler (388th Bomb Group Historian)