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Melvin E. HERTEL
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Source : Nicolas CHERION
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| NUMBER OF SERVICE | 38143522 | ||||||
| AGE | 22 yo | ||||||
| DATE OF BIRTH | 17 June 1921 | ||||||
| ENLISTMENT STATE | TEXAS | ||||||
| FAMILY |
Parents : Edmund & Callie HERTEL Siblings : Nolan & Florence | ||||||
| RANK |
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| FONCTION | Radio operator | ||||||
| JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT |  | ||||||
| DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 8 August 1942 | ||||||
| SQUADRON | 341st Bomber Squadron | ||||||
| GROUP | 97th Bomb Group (Heavy) | ||||||
| ARMY | 15th Air Force | ||||||
| DATE OF DEATH | 16 November 1943 |
Source : Victor DANIEL | |||||
| STATUS | KIA | ||||||
| PLACE OF DEATH | Etang de Lavalduc - 4 km d'Istres | ||||||
| DATA PLAN |
B-17 Fortress - type F-25-DL - s/n 42-3147
Macr : 1195 Depienne take off, Tunisia Crash observed by 2Lt Norman F. WAGNER and S/Sgt Samuel H. JONES The wreck was reportedly removed by American authorities in the 1970s, which may explain the common grave. Shot by the flak at 13:50 | ||||||
| CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMETERY TEMPORARY of Luynes Cemetery, Aix-En-Provance N°3551 | ||||||
| CEMETERY | RHONE AMERICAN CEMETERY and MEMORIAL of Draguignan | ||||||
| GRAVE |
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| DECORATION |
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| STORY | |||||||
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B-17 "Homesick Angel" parked on its airfield. Source : Patootie | |||||||
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Born in 1921 in Schulenburg, Fayette County, Texas, Melvin was the second child of Edmund and Callie HERTEL. He joined the US Air Force in August 1942 and was assigned to the 341st Bomber Squadron as a radio operator and gunner on the B-17. The squadron had been stationed in North Africa since late 1942, on November 16 it was sent for a bombing mission over southern France. The B-17 "Homesick Angel" ordered the 1Lt. Richard PACKARD and of which T/Sgt. HERTEL was shot down over Istres, only S/Sgt. Kenneth ESLICK managed to over-drunk but was captured. The remains of the B-17 fell into Lavalduc Lake and were not discovered until it dried up. | |||||||
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Stele in tribute to the crew in Istres. Source : Humbert CHARVE | ||||||
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Crew of B-17 Fortress - type F-25-DL - s/n 42-3147"Homesick Angel"
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| 1Lt | Richard A Jr | PACKARD | Pilot | Dead | Zachary Taylor Nat Cem. C1079 Louisville, Kentucky | O-735440 - Dayton, Ohio |
| 2Lt | William D | WATERS | CoPilot | Dead | Cim Am Rhône Draguignan | O-684585 - PH - Bridgeport, Ohio |
| 2Lt | Daniel E | DUSTIN | Navigator | Dead | Zachary Taylor Nat Cem. C1079 Louisville, Kentucky/Sheridan Cam. Auburn, Nebraska |
O-671404 - Wishita, Kansas |
| 2Lt | Leon E Jr | CASE | Bomber | Dead | Zachary Taylor Nat Cem. C1079 Louisville, Kentucky | O-728033 - Iron Moutain, Michigan - For Gravelocator, the date of death is: 24/4/52, but common |
| T/Sgt | Melvin E HERTEL | Radio | Dead | Cim Am Rhône Draguignan | 38143522 - AM+1/PH - Schulenburg, Texas -Body found on 12/08/1944 | |
| T/Sgt | Leo F | GARRITY | Mechanic | Dead | Zachary Taylor Nat Cem. C1079 Louisville, Kentucky |
33329686 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Bones and identity plate found in August 44 |
| S/Sgt | Earl W | LARGE | Gunner | Dead | Cim Am Rhône Draguignan | 19086054 - AM+2 - Oakland, California - Body found on 01/08/1944 |
| S/Sgt | Kenneth O "Kenny" | ESLICK | Gunner | Prisoner | 39609670 - Born the 30/11/1918 - Creston, Montana - Son of Paul H Eslick et Myrtle Carpenter-Eslick; époux de Lavina Rost-Eslick - Strafed during his parachute descent - Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf - Décédé en 1998 (Lone Pine Cem) | |
| S/Sgt | Charles D Jr | ATKINS | Gunner | Dead | Zachary Taylor Nat Cem. C1079 Louisville, Kentucky | 12128318 - Brooklyn, New York |
| S/Sgt | James M 'Jimmy' | ELLIOTT | Gunner | Dead | Fairview Cem. Phillipsburg, Kansas | 19102558 - 21 yo- McMinnville, Oregon - Son of Robert C Elliott et Leora Gibson Elliott - Body found on 21/07/1944 |
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| SOURCE INFORMATION & SOURCE PHOTO | Victor Daniel - Findagrave.com - Francecrashes39-45.net - Abmc.gov - Fold3 |
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| PROGRAMMER | Eric, Henri, Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |