Kern Lawrence C. “Pi-Yi”

Monuments

B-17 (42-30264) 'Dorsal Queen' and B-17 'Raunchy Wolf' (42-3290) Plaque

Name:

Lawrence C. “Pi-Yi” Kern

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

1816991

Unit:

551st Bomber Squadron, 385th Bomber Group, Heavy

Date of Death:

1943-10-26

State:

Texas

Cemetery:

Cambridge American Cemetery, United Kingdom

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

110

Decoration:

Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Comments:

Lawrence C. “Pi-Yi” Kern was born in 1922 in Louisiana. He resided in Harris County, Texas prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on July 24, 1942 in Houston, Texas. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being born in Louisiana, employed as a Checker and also as Single, without dependents.

Lawrence served as a Staff Sergeant and Ball Turret Gunner on B-17 "Dorsal Queen" #42-30264, 551st Bomber Squadron, 385th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. His plane, while on a return mission from Reims, France, was involved in a mid-air collision with B-17 #42-3290 "Raunchy Wolf" also known as "El Lobo." They crashed at Tillingham Hall Farm, Bulphan, England. The entire crews of both B-17's were killed except Ssgt John J. Adams of the Dorsal Queen who was the only survivor.

SSGT Kern is now buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov