Marco Joseph Zumbolo was born in Albany, New York in 1922. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces on September 15, 1942. He had completed 1 year of college and had been employed in the manufacture of electrical machinery.

After basic training, he attended 3 specialized schools and was certified a flight engineer. He also attended aerial gunnery school. He was assigned to the 561st Bomb Squadron of the 338th Bomb Group at Knettishall, England, utilized as a combat crew member.

He had flown on 12 missions prior to February 20, 1944 when he was scheduled to participate in a bombing raid on war material factories in Posen, Poland. The bomber stream arrived at the target and bombed it, but on the out-bound track, the bomber formation was attacked by 25 enemy aircraft. One managed to damage the bomber and wound the tail gunner, who bailed out but was captured and treated by the Germans.

Accounts vary on the manner in which the B-17 went down. One account states it was fired upon by fighters over the island of Fyn and disintegrated in mid-air. Another states the pilot attempted an emergency landing but crashed near Assens. Six crewmen were recovered from the wreckage.

In 1948, the site was re-examined and more human remains were found. Individual identification could not be made, but it was determined these remains were the missing three airmen. The remains were sent to the U.S. and buried in a common grave at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky. TSgt Zumbolo was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, airforce.togetherweserved.com