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Personal info

Full name
WEINMAN, Edward Irving
Date of birth
19 November 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York City, New York
Hometown
Queens, Queens County, New York
Religion
Jewish

Military service

Service number
32828525
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
68th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
28 January 1945
Place of death
At the access to the freeway
Altenderne, northeast of Dortmund, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 23 16

Immediate family

Members
Abe Weinman (father)
Fannie Weinman (mother)
Charlotte Weinman (sister)
Blanche Weinman (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-51101
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Corky
Destination: Dortmund
Mission: Bombing of the coking plant
MACR: 12007

More information

S/Sgt Edward I. Weinman was employed at Optical Film and Supply Company.

He joined the Army on 9 March 1943 in New York City, New York.

The plane was hit by flak with direct hit in the bomb bay shortly before 1200 o'clock just prior to bombs away. She pulled out of formation, losing altitude, and exploded several thousand feet below. Maurice Corwine, the pilot, and Patrick Colosimo, the radio operator, were the only two survivors. Three parachutes had been reported from the plane.

Patrick Colosimo's version of what happened: He had gone down to pin the bomb doors as there had been some problems with one of the doors. Glen Mace, the Right Waist Gunner, also came forward from his mid-ships position and was assisting him. The gears were apparently stripped and the door on one side was only open about a foot. Crowine, the pilot, told them to leave it, and they would salvo the bombs later. Mace was returning to his waist position and Colosimo turned to go back up to the flight deck when the ship shuddered and flames were all around him. He was pushed out through the bomb bay by someone and was not aware of what happened until his parachute deployed, with no signs of any other parachutes, and a large fire on the ground.

Statement of Horst Munter of Dortmund: "The plane exploded in midair and the wreckage was spread over a considerable area. The German records indicated that it was 95% demolished. The wreckage was cleared by members of the Luftwaffe with four of the dead identified at the scene by their dog tags; Mace, Scott, Steinmiller and Lough. The other four crew members were not identified till much later."

They were initially buried at the main cemetery of Dortmund on 9 February 1945.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Jac Engels, Michael Berbiar