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name
LEVY, Rubin - Date of
birth
8 January 1919 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois -
Hometown
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois -
Religion
Jewish
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-721802 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
48th Squadron,
313th Troop Carrier Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
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 | 4 | 9 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Celia Levy (mother)
Eva Levy (sister)
Harriet Levy (wife)
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
2nd Lt Rubin Levy attended college.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Miami Beach, Florida, on 21 February 1943.
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, Cook County, Illinois Birth Certificates
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees - Pilot Class Book 44-D, Coleman Flying School, Texas