Matthew R. PELCZAR
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NUMBER OF SERVICE | 36725277 | ||||||
AGE | 21 yo | ||||||
DATE OF BIRTH | 1923 | ||||||
ETAT | Chicago, ILLINOIS | ||||||
FAMILY |
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RANK | Staff Sergeant | ||||||
FONCTION |
Engineer Top Turret Gunner | ||||||
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT | |||||||
DATE of ENLISTEMENT | |||||||
SQUADRON | 330th Bomber Squadron | ||||||
GROUP | 93rd Bomber Group, Heavy | ||||||
ARMY | 8th US Air Force | ||||||
DATE OF DEATH | 13 June 1944 | ||||||
STATUS | KIA | ||||||
PLACE OF DEATH | Beetwen Pont-Scorff and Caudan | ||||||
DATA PLAN |
B-24 Liberator - type H-25-FO - s/n 42-95153 AG*G OU AG*M "Per Diem" Macr: 5912 Mission: Ponts de Vannes and Ploermel (56) Takeoff Station 104 Hardwick, Norfolk UK All the bodies were initially buried in the cemetery of Guidel (56) Fired by the flak or collision in flight with the B-24 42-110104 piloted by 1Lt Cool (same squadron) at 20h57 Airplane evacuated partially before the crash | ||||||
CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMTERY TEMPORARY of Guidel (56)
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CEMTERY TEMPORARY of St James N°3578
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CEMETERY | BRITTANY AMERICAN CEMETERY of St James | ||||||
GRAVE |
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DECORATION |
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STORY | |||||||
Matthew lived in Chicago with his parents, originally from Poland, and his sister, when he joined the US Air Corps. After completing his various training phases, including at Sioux City Air Base, he concluded with a machine-gunner instruction. Next, he began training on the B-24 bomber. He was assigned to the 330th Bomber Squadron of the 93rd Bomber Group of the 8th US Air Force. In March 1944, Matthew left the Army Air Base in Colorado Springs after three months of training at the Heavy Bomber Crew School. In April, he was in Africa. Matthew was a member of Lieutenant Hoffmann’s crew as Engineer Top Turret Gunner, joining USAAF Station 104 in Hardwick (Suffolk). On 13 June 1944, a new mission is given to Matthew and the crew of the B-24 "Per Diem". The objectives are the bridges of Vannes and Ploërmel (Morbihan). The mission is carried out with more or less success; during their return, they are subjected to a heavy fire from the Flak defending the submarine base of Lorient. Matthew’s B-24 is hit North of Lorient above the town of Caudan; the bomb bay gets blown up, the plane forms a spiral to the right and dives to the ground before the crash. Two members of the crew manage to evacuate the aircraft during its fall, they are taken prisoner on arrival on the ground, namely Sergeants Hines and Matlock. Matthew and the rest of the crew did not survive. They were buried in Guidel Cemetery. On Tuesday, June 13, shortly before taking off from England, Matthew wrote what would be his last letter to his parents, in which he said, “I hope this will end soon, because I have had enough of life in the army.” He closed it by saying: “Well, that’s about all I have to say today. Until next time, I say goodbye and God bless you all.” | |||||||
B-24 Liberator - type H-25-FO |
Crew of B-24 Liberator - type H-25-FO - s/n 42-95153 AG*G OU AG*M"Per Diem"
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2nd Lieutenant | John R. HOFFMANN | Pilot | Dead | Cim Brit Am St-James | O-807545 - AM+1 - Orangeburg, NEW YORK | |
2nd Lieutenant | Vern C. BROWN | CoPilot | Dead | Cim Brit Am St-James | O-761868 - AM/PH - Glendale, CALIFORNIA | |
2nd Lieutenant | David J Jr MAHONEY | Navigator/Bomber | Dead | Cim Brit Am St-James | O-698895 - AM/PH - Bayonne, NEW JERSEY | |
S/Sergeant | Matthew R. PELCZAR | Mechanic/Gunner | Dead | Cim Brit Am St-James | 36725277 - AM/PH - Chicago, ILLINOIS | |
Sergeant | John J | HINES | Gunner | Prisoner- Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow | 11081419 - Medford, MASSACHUSETTS | |
Sergeant | Glenn A | CREASEY | Gunner | Dead | Cunningham Mem Park, St-Albans, Kanawha Co, WEST VIRGINIA | 35656392 - Born the 09/02/1925 - Cabin Creek, WEST VIRGINIA - Initialement inhumé au Cim de Guidel (56) |
Sergeant | Daniel Venoye | MATLOCK | Gunner | Prisoner - Camp inconnu | 18184978 - Mercury, Texas | |
Sergeant | Eldon B | PICKETT | Gunner | Dead | Cim Am Ardennes Neupre | 18046539 - Sstar/DFC/AM+2 - Woodland Park, COLORADO |
S/Sergeant | William Charles | KRAFT | Radio | Dead | Laurel Hill Cem. Millcreek Township, PENNSYLVANIA | 33409323 - 22 yo- Erie, MASSACHUSETTS |
SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTO | Abmc.gov - Francecrashes39-45.net - USAAF Class Book Project ABMC American Cemeteries - Findagrave.com - Nathalie - Bruno |
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PROGRAMMER | Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |