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name
BRATMOE, Rueben - Date of
birth
9 June 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Dawson, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota -
Hometown
Lac Qui Parle County, Minnesota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37556314 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
835th Bombardment Squadron,
486th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
15 October 1944 - Place of
death
Wiehl, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 1 | 30 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Ole P. Bratmoe (father)
Gunda (Nesvold) Bratmoe (mother)
Peter Bratmoe (brother)
Bennie Bratmoe (brother)
Norman Bratmoe (brother)
Albert Bratmoe (brother)
Melvin Bratmoe (brother)
Aaget Bratmoe (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38136 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Snow White
Destination: Cologne, Germany
Mission: Bombing of railroad facilities
MACR: 9491
More information
The airplane was hit by flak over the target. One crew reported a wing breaking off before it entered a spin.Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner, seven men were killed. They were initially buried at the cemetery of Oberbantenberg, Germany on 16 October 1944.
S/Sgt Crawford, one of the surviving crew members remembered that the entire crew was able to jump before hte airplane exploded. The explosion tore of the left wing and broke the plane in two at the waist.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWII Draft Card, 1920 US Census
Photo source: Jac Engels, www.findagrave.com - Andy