Charles Richard Wilson
Military
Bottom L-R Thurman M Geren, Charles R Wilson, William W Jeffers and Harry E Cobb.
Daughter
Object Number - UPL 25889 - Top L-R Michael Gagich, Gerald S Harvey, Willam R Boree, Adelbert D Shereck, and Jack M Harrington. Bottom L-R Thurman M Geren, Charles R Wilson,...
Most significant experience occurred on 16 February 1945 as consequence of bombing mission of Gelsenkirchen oil refinery. Because of flak damage to aircraft during and following bomb run, we were unable to return to England and were forced to ditch in the North Sea about 10 miles off Holland. The aircraft broke in two just aft of radio room. The 9-man crew survived the ditching and subsequent very cold and wet exposure for over 12 hours until washing ashore at a German coastal installation near Haarlem, Holland. All became Prisoner of War (POW) until liberated by U. S. Forces from Stalag VIIA at Mooseberg, Germany on 29 April 1945. Plane was B-17 'Carrie B' #4338187
Connections
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Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36641610
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37402761
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34546656
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Bombardier, Togglier
Aircraft
Missions
Places
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Missouri, United States | 16 December 1921 | |
|
Enlisted |
Los Angeles, California, United States | 11 April 1942 | |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
IJmuiden, The Netherlands | 16 February 1945 - 29 April 1945 | Interned at Stalag XIIID in Nuremburg, and Stalag VIIA in Moosburg |
|
Died |
10 October 1953 | in a flying accident off the coast of the Galápagos Islands | |
|
Buried |
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California, United States | ||
| Monrovia, Los Angeles County, California, United States |
Revisions
MACR 12246
Détails at http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt058033tb/entire_text/
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12446 / MACR 12446,
href="http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=1911">http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=1911> / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database