Reuben F Baganz
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Ball Turret Gunner
William Waldron Crew
487th BG - 836th BS
KIA 24 December 1944
Object Number - UPL 22965 - SSGT Reuben F. Baganz Ball Turret Gunner William Waldron Crew 487th BG - 836th BS KIA 24 December 1944
Killed in Action (KIA) when B-17G #43-38926 'Weary Willy' piloted by Lieutenant William J. Waldron was attacked by fighters on 24 Dec 1944.
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: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 24 December 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Lavenham/Alpheton Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Kewaunee, WI 54216, USA | 1 August 1925 | |
|
Died |
Rouvreux, 4140 Sprimont, Belgium | 24 December 1944 | On December 24, 1944, the 8th Air Force launched mission #760, the largest aerial mission of the war, which involved more than 2000 heavy bombers. The mission was to bomb German airfields and supply lines, to stem the German offensive in the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge. The 487th Bomb Group led the entire 8th Air Force that day. Lt Waldron's crew flew B-17G 43-38926 in the number nine position in the Low Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group formation. The Group's target was the airfield at Babenhausen, Germany, but the formation was attacked by German fighters before reaching the target. S/Sgt Baganz and five of his crew mates were killed in action when their aircraft was shot down by German fighters south of Liege, Belgium. Three men were blown clear and survived when the aircraft exploded in the air. The B-17 crashed near Rouvreux, Belgium, about 15 miles south of Liege |
| Brodhead, WI 53520, USA | |||
| Milwaukee, WI, USA | 2902 North 27th Street | ||
|
Buried |
Springfield, IL, USA | Camp Butler National Cemetery Springfield Sangamon County Illinois, USA Plot: Section 3, Site 855-J1 |
Revisions
Contributor466thHistorian
ChangesChanges to service number, events, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / The History of the 487th BG Roll of Honor pp. 302-5 and account pp 197-8 MACR 11675 / http://www.487thbg.org/Photos/WaldronCrew.shtml ,
