John L Kratzer
Military ROLL OF HONOURLWG, Wroblicka Crew. 381st BG, 534th BS. Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29954 'Devil's Angel'. Mission #17 to the synthetic oil works at Gelsenkirchen, Germany. MACR 383. Lost 2 engines to fighters. 1st 534th crew lost. Killed in Action (KIA). Killed along with Sgt Phelan by 20mm shells while assisting the BTG (S/Sgt Jonson, KIA) with his parachute. Buried in Waldorf Cemetery at Bornheim. Grave 208?.
Earlier on 29 July 1943 crash landed in Norfolk on return from Kiel in B-17 #42-3221 'Whale Tail' with 3 engines out. Crew returned.
Homerville, OH
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38234081
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-670119
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37197647
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36320870
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-735435
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 12 August 1943
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Died |
12 August 1943 | ||
Born |
Homerville, Ohio, USA | ||
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
Germany | 12 August 1943 |
Revisions
Added a "-" to the A/C type in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 383 / MACR 383, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey pp. 206-7, 230 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database