S Sgt EARLE L DORR JR.

Unit 850 BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON 490 BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY)
Country of Loss Germany
Home of Record RI

https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000XguiEAC

On December 5, 1944, a B-17G Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8140) carrying eleven crew members took off from U.S. Air Field Station 156 in Suffolk, England, for a bombing mission against enemy targets near Berlin, Germany. Serving as squadron lead for the mission, the B-17 made its initial run at the target area and dropped its bombs. Shortly after turning away from the target, the aircraft was seen to make a sharp left turn, suddenly lose altitude, and then drift toward a group of dogfighting fighter aircraft. The B-17G crashed shortly thereafter, and no parachutes were seen to exit the aircraft as it went down. One crew member survived the crash and was returned to U.S. custody. Following the war, the crash site was located and two sets of remains were recovered from the wreckage. The other nine crew members remain unaccounted-for.

Staff Sergeant Earle L. Dorr Jr., who joined the U.S. Army Air Forces from Rhode Island, served in the 850th Bombardment Squadron, 490th Bombardment Group. He was the tail gunner aboard this B-17G when it crashed, and his remains could not be recovered following the incident. Today, Staff Sergeant Dorr is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten.

Service Members Associated with S Sgt EARLE DORR's Loss

Showing 1 to 8 of 8 entries

BRUCE; JAMES L , T Sgt , Unaccounted For
CALDWELL; JOHN T , S Sgt , Unaccounted For
DORR; EARLE L , S Sgt , Unaccounted For
GREGORY; RALPH E. , Capt , Unaccounted For
HILLWEG; CHARLES U , 1st Lt , Unaccounted For
MEYER; WALTER A , S Sgt , Unaccounted For
UPSHAW; CHARLES C , 2d Lt , Unaccounted For
WOOD; WILLIAM F , 1st Lt , Unaccounted For

Earle L Dorr, Jr