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name
KUHN, George John - Date of
birth
1 April 1921 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
13126626 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator -
Unit
48th Squadron,
313th Troop Carrier Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 March 1945 - Place of
death
In the vicinity of Wesel, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| E | 14 | 15 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John Kuhn (father)
Dorothy Kuhn (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-77602 -
Data
Type: C-46D
Destination: Drop zone X, north of Wesel, Germany
Mission: Paratrooper drop
MACR: 13425
More information
S/Sgt George J Kuhn graduated from Northeast High School in 1939. He attended college for one year.He joined the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 20 October 1942.
Lt Glen H. Smith, who was the pilot of another airplane in the same group, witnessed what happened: "I was flying on the right wing of the C-46D airplane ASN 44-77602, piloted by Lt James F. Claussen. After they had dropped their paratroopers on the drop zone they made a right turn-off and the airplane was last seen by me with their left engine on fire heading back toward the Rhine River. The airplane was under good control and about 100 feet off the ground."
There were 5 crew members and 29 passengers, all members of A Company of the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 17th Airborne Division on board.
Four crew members were killed. Only T/Sgt Charles L. Williams, Crew Chief, survived. He was partially out of the side escape hatch when the aircraft crash-landed and as a result he was thrown clear of the wreckage and unconscious. German medics carried him, seriously wounded, to a cellar, dressed his wounds and departed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record, WWII Draft Card, 1930 Census
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Northeast Catholic High School 1939