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name
THORNTON, Charles Vernon - Date of
birth
24 October 1919 -
Age
24 -
Place of birth
Blum, Hill County, Texas -
Hometown
Vernon County, Missouri
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-399507 -
Rank
Major -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
555th Bombardment Squadron,
386th Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
22 February 1944 - Place of
death
Near Geertruidenberg near West-Polder, Holland
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| I | 8 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Dillard A. Thornton (father)
Retta A. (Couburn) Thornton (mother)
Robert E. Thornton (brother)
Marie Thornton (sister)
Thomas R. Thornton (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-31644 -
Data
Type: B-26B
Nickname: Crescendo
Destination: Gilze Rijen, the Netherlands
MACR: 2322
More information
Maj Charles V. Thornton attended the A&M College of Texas (now Texas A&M University) 1937-1939 as a member of the Class of 1941 majoring in Agricultural Administration. He entered the Air Corps in February 1940 and received his commission at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, in October of that year. During the summer of 1941 he helped set up a patrol base in New Foundland, and from November 1941 to November 1942 flew cargo and passenger planes across Africa and India for Pan American Airways. After returning to the United States he served as operations officer of a bombardment squadron at Lake Charles, Louisiana and went to England in 1943. He went missing after a bombing mission over Holland flying a Marauder.Statement from Sgt Claude E. Goodwin:
"I saw ship 41-31644 without a rudder and with the right engine feathered. The tail assembly was damaged. Then I saw two chutes come out of the tail of the ship. When it passed from my vision it was under control about 1000 feet below."
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, David Chapman, Jan Jolie, Astrid van Erp, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Michel Beckers/Jos van Alphen, www.fold3.com