Name:
Charles Ayton Crooks
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
O-767501
Unit:
368th Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomb Group, Heavy
Date of Death:
1944-12-15
State:
Ohio
Cemetery:
Cambridge American Cemetery, United Kingdom
Plot:
D
Row:
1
Grave:
38
Decoration:
Air Medal, Purple Heart
Comments:
Charles Ayton Crooks was born in 1919 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. He served in the 368th Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Pilot of the B-17 #43-37633 during World War II. He was Killed in Action on December 15, 1944 when his plane, on return from Kassel, Germany, was involved in a mid-air collision with #43-38019 due to bad weather and extremely poor visibility over Greenham Common, UK. It is apparent that 2LT Crooks and the other pilot did not see each other's aircraft. 2LT Crooks is now buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom.