Harold D Van Oyen

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Shot down 14-May-1943 in B-24D #41-23819 "Rugged Buggy" while serving as a Waist Gunner. The aircraft was attacked by fighters and crashed near Eckernforde, Germany. Killed in Action (KIA). No burial record has yet been located for this airman.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group line up for takeoff at Shipdham in 1943. The 'Flying Eight-Ball' emblem of the 68th Bomb Squadron is visible on the nose of the leading aircraft. Image stamped with field press censor, 1943. Press Agency photograph- original printed caption has been removed.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Rugged Buggy
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Madison, NE 68748, USA

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Eckernförde, Germany 14 May 1943 Killed when aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed near Eckernforde, Germany.

Buried

The American Battle Monuments Commission has no grave listing of Wall of the Missing listing for this airman in any American cemetery in Europe. While the loss was documented on MACR 15509 his SN was never included in that record.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 18-Feb-2015. Added KIA event per MACR 15509, all other details from "The Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 15509 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database