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name
SCOURBYS, Constantine G - Date of
birth
21 July 1924 -
Age
19 - Place of
birth
New York -
Hometown
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
15119544 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Left Waist Gunner -
Unit
563rd Bombardment Squadron,
388th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
11 April 1944 - Place of
death
Baltic Sea
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
George Scourbys (father)
Elsie Scourbys (mother)
Wiliam G. Scourbys (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97241 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: The Expectant Father
Destination: Poznan, Germany
MACR: 3805
More information
The crew departed on 11 April 1944 on a mission to Pozen - it was their first mission. The aircraft was brand new and was all silver and the only one in the squadron that day. They were the #3 position in the lead element lead squadron 45th combat group. Cloud cover was over the primary target so the flight went to Rostock as a secondary target. After bombs away the aircraft was attacked by a line abreast formation of 4 FW-190's and the radio compartment exploded and caught fire. The fire spread quickly to consume everything to the rear of the flight deck, and some of the crew bailed out. Several of the crew stayed with the plane until it crashed on the Baltic coast near a small town. The men who bailed out landed in the water and drowned, one of them was Constantine G. Scourbys. The officers stayed with the plane and crash-landed near Rerik/Mecklenburg which was 80% damaged.
Source of information: Koen Hermsen
Photo source: Koen Hermsen, Arie-Jan van Hees, ilot Class book 44-A, Stamford AFS, Texas