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Personal info

Full name
SAMBOL, Zvonimir Peter
Date of birth
19 August 1923
Age
20
Place of birth
Yugoslavia
Hometown
Cook County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
36735304
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner
Unit
786th Bombardment Squadron,
466th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
9 April 1944
Place of death
Island of Rugen, Denmark

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 39 1

Immediate family

Members
John F. Sambol (father)
Barbara A. Sambol (mother)
Joseph Sambol (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-52569
Data
Type: B-24H
Destination: Tutow airdrome, Germany
Mission: Objective Bombing
MACR: 3844

More information

Sgt Zvonimir P. Sambol immigrated to the United States in 1939. He was employed at Utah Radio Products Company.

The plane left the formation over the Baltic Sea, East of Kiel. All crewmembers were able to bail out as far as officers knew. The plane went into a flat spin and nosed into the ground at about a twenty degree angle. Zvonimir obviously heard the bail out bell and was fully prepared to leave the ship, but didn't bail out.

He was initially buried on 11 April 1944 at 1700 hours at the cemetery of Svince, Denmark.

Source of information: Astrid van Erp, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Chicago Tribune - 19 May 1944