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Submit- Full
name
GUNDERSON, Loran A - Date of
birth
17 March 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
De Smet, Kingsbury County, South Dakota -
Hometown
Cook County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-744274 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
563rd Bombardment Squadron,
388th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
22 December 1943 - Place of
death
Crashed into the Zuider Zee, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Arthur E. Gunderson (father)
Nettie (Kattke) Gunderson (mother)
Donald S. Gunderson (brother)
Lorraine L. Gunderson (sister)
Orville R. Gunderson (brother)
Arnold J. Gunderson (brother)
Ila M. Gunderson (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-37773 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Full House
Destination: Munster, Germany
MACR: 3148
More information
2nd Lt Loran A. Gunderson was employed at Teletype Corporation.He enlisted 27 March 1942 in Chicago, Illinois.
Aircraft #42-37773, feathered his no. 1 engine shortly after the target and could not keep up with the formation. The plane crashed into the Zuider Zee and two of the crew made it to the sea wall. Lt Gunderson was not one of them.
Source of information: Michel Beckers, National WWII Memorial, Footnote, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Hans Wijnands The Chicago Sun Illinois 23 January 1944