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name
AMBROSE, Tuite Howe Anthony - Date of
birth
21 September 1921 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Belle Rose, Assumption Parish, Louisiana -
Hometown
Donaldsonville, Ascension Parish, Louisiana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
38194123 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
510th Bombardment Squadron,
351st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
17 August 1943 - Place of
death
Mayen, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| I | 14 | 12 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Robert Ambrose (father)
Nellie (Clifton) Tuite (mother)
Clifton R. Ambrose (brother)
Theresa Ambrose (sister)
Nellie Ambrose (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-29839 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Cherokee Girl
Destination: Schweinfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the KuglFisher bal bearings plant
MACR: 303
More information
S/Sgt Tuite Ambrose attended high school for four years and was a sales clerk.He enlisted in New Orleans, Louisiana on 13 July 1942.
His brother Clifton is buried at Florence American Military Cemetery, Italy.
Lt Hansen, flying 42-29839 in the number three position of the second element, lead squadron, lead group, was hit in the number three engine. The engine lost all oil pressure and could not be feathered. With the wind-milling propeller, the plane could not maintain speed and was forced to leave the formation. As the bombs were salvoed to reduce weight, a fighter hit the plane with four bursts of 20mm. The first came through the nose, taking the plexiglass and nose gun completely away, and exploded under the cockpit among the oxygen bottles, starting a fire. The second burst hit the radio room, starting another fire. The third hit in the waist and the fourth in the tail, taking away the tail guns and leaving the gunner staring into space.
With the aircraft burning fiercely, Lt. Hansen gave the order to bail out before bailing out of the side window himself. He was on the wing of the plane, but found that he could not get his right foot out. Looking back, he saw that it was caught in his parachute which he had forgotten to take with him! Turning back he grabbed the parachute, wrapped the harness around his hand and slipped off the wing. When the parachute opened he was left hanging by one foot and one hand. All the crew, except the top turret gunner, managed to get clear before the ship exploded, but all had severe burns.
According to witness statements of surviving crew members, S/Sgt Ambrose's parachute opened inside the plane and as a result he was unable to bail out.
He was initially buried at the cemetery of Mendig, probably on 17 August, in a common grave with six other soldiers who were casualties of other crashes. He was disinterred and transported to Margraten where he arrived on 23 February 1946. There he was buried as Unknown X 2362 at block YY, row 2, grave 50. On 27 September 1948, he was again disinterred and identified by toothcharts and markings on his coveralls. He was given his final resting place on 3 February 1949.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.351st.org, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Wedge Family Tree / WWII Draft Card, 1930 Census, Debbie Blouin