Blichmann Carl H. "Herbie"

Monuments

B-17 ‘The Passionate Witch’ & ‘Kickapoo Joy Juice’ Plaque

Name:

Carl H. "Herbie" Blichmann

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

17070562

Unit:

728th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy

Date of Death:

1944-03-28

State:

Iowa

Cemetery:

Sacred Heart Cemetery, Chickasaw County, Iowa

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

Carl H. "Herbie" Blichmann was born on February 13, 1920, in Denver County, Colorado. He was the son of Carl Lester Blichmann and Elsie L Rooney Blichmann.

Herbie served in the 728th Bomber Squadron, 452nd Bomb Group, as a - and - on the B-17 #42-32082 'The Passionate Witch II' during World War II.

On March 28, 1944, his crew took off from Sation 142 airfield in Deopham Free, England, on a mission to bomb the Chateaudun airfield in France. At 14:08H, their plane was shot down by flak, taking a direct hit in the #4 tank, which ignited a huge fire. Their airplane exploded in flight and crashed 2 km south of Chateaudun airfield. The plane was totally destroyed in a ground collision with an Avro Lancaster. Six crew members (including SSgt Blichmann) were Killed in Action. The others were able to bail out of the plane before it exploded but were taken as prisoners except for SSgt McLaughlin, who died in a hospital the next day.

SSgt Blichmann is now buried in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Chickasaw County, Iowa, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net