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name
BLAIS, Edmond John - Date of
birth
13 October 1921 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois -
Hometown
Buffalo, Erie County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32478396 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
510th Bombardment Squadron,
351st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
9 October 1943 - Place of
death
Hallig Hooge Island, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 1 | 36 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John B. Blais (father)
Josephine Blais (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30867 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Anklam, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Arado-Heinkel aviation industry
MACR: 1035
More information
Sgt Edmond J. Blais attended Calumet High School and was managing a chain of restaurants in Buffalo, New York.Shortly after crossing the Danish coast the group was attacked by German fighters. Thirty to fifty Me 109s executed many close attacks. At the start of the bomb-run the enemy fighters broke off their attacks, leaving the formation to suffer the attentions of the Anklam flak gunners.
Smoke from the bombs of the preceding Wing obscured the target, as a consequence most of the bombs fell in the center of the city.
The formation turned for home and flew straight into the Luftwaffe's assembled forces. Me 110s and a few Ju 88s stood off and fired rockets into the formation.
Edmond Blais and another crew member, John R. Butterbach, were killed during the fighter attack.
In total four crew members were killed, six were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, Chicago Tribune 5 July 1944,WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Suburbanite Economist - 5 December 1943, Kay Bee