John L Kratzer

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

LWG, 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

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17129602
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-734986
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39831351
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-791532
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Died

12 August 1943

Born

Homerville, Ohio, USA

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Germany 12 August 1943

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C type in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorARowe95
Changes
Sources

ARowe95

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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