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Personal info

Full name
PIPOCK, Michael "Mike"
Date of birth
30 August 1923
Age
21
Place of birth
Nanty-Glo, Cambria County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan

Military service

Service number
16176838
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
749th Bombardment Squadron,
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
25 November 1944
Place of death
Schirmeck, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
Plot Row Grave
E 13 16

Immediate family

Members
Peter Pipock (father)
Helen S. (Marte) Pipock (mother)
Peter F. Pipock (brother)
Mary Pipock (sister)
John Pipock (brother)
Helen Pipock (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-32086
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: You Never Know
Destination: Gaggenau, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Daimler-Benz plant
MACR: 8904

More information

Sgt Michael Pipock joined the Regular Army in Detroit, Michigan on 18 May 1943.

Sgt Thomas V. Farrell:
Glen Seeber and Mike Pipock jumped out south of Nancy, France. We were flying over a mountainous area between 4,000 and 6,000 feet. Civilians on one of the slopes were shooting 20 mm. and .50 cal. at the plane. A 20 mm. hit the ship just to the right and even with the sill of the door. It exploded when it hit the ship. Seeber was hit in the leg by some of the pieces. As soon as Seeber was hit, Pipock, who was standing by the door on the tail wheel side, bailed out and Seeber, who was sitting by the door, threw himself out the door. The plane crash landed 10 September 1944 near Joigny, France.

Pipock successfully jumped from the airplane but was taken prisoner and executed at camp Schirmeck, France.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov – Joseph Tomcala, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men / Pipock Family Tree, www.fold3.com – MACR, www.findagrave.com – Eric Ackerman
Photo source: www.findagrave.com – Kevin / W Friesen, www.457thbombgroupassoc.org