Name:
Leo E. Roettger
Rank:
Staff Sergeant
Serial Number:
36226475
Unit:
36th Bomb Squadron, 482nd Bomb Group, Heavy
Date of Death:
1944-03-04
State:
Minnesota
Cemetery:
Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota
Plot:
A
Row:
3968
Grave:
Decoration:
Purple Heart
Comments:
SSgt Leo E. Roettger, tail gunner of the B-24 Liberator 42-72863 “Jive Bomber II”, took off from station 102 Alconbury, Cambridgeshire UK at 2040 on a drop to the Cantal maquis near Felines. Despite the snowy weather, the mission went off smoothly. However, the plane was hit by flak between Thiville and Lutz-en-Dunois at 0140 and crashed, killing all aboard. The crew’s updated map on German anti-aircraft locations failed them as that particular battery was mobile and newly arrived in the region.