Axel P. "Pete" Slustrop was born on February 5, 1922, in Portland, Oregon. He was the son of Peter Slustrop and Karen Slustrop. He served in the 555th Bomb Squadron, 386th Bomber Group, Medium, as a First Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of the B-26 #442-96087 YA*O during World War II.
On June 22, 1944, the 386th BG flew in two squadrons on a mission to bomb a German headquarters in Caen, France, one of which is his. His crew took off from Station 164 in Great Dunmow, England, and while over Caen, the plane was achieved by the flak (German DCA) with a direct hit. The projectile passes through the plane and causes an explosion in flight. The crews of other aircraft in the formation are witnesses of falling debris B26-B YA-O code and report when establishing the MACR loss record (Missing Air Crew Report) 6383. Their plane crashed at Baron-sur-Odon.
1LT Slustrop was originally listed as missing in action or non-recoverable. His name was permanently inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Normandy American Cemetery. 1LT Slustrop's remains were recovered, identified and permanently interred at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, in the same grave with 1Lt Hazlett, 1Lt Meserow, and Lieutenant Colonel Weiss.
B-26 #B-26 #442-96087 aircrew:
Lt-Col Don L. Weiss - Pilot
1Lt Axel P. Slustrop - Co-Pilot
1Lt David Meserow - Bombardier
1Lt George H. Hazlett - Navigator
T/Sgt Robert E. Perkins - Machine Gunner
S/Sgt John H. Canty - Machine Gunner
S/Sgt Thomas McCaslin - Rear Gunner
Capt Orville Donald "Don" Thatcher - Passennger
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net, aviation-safety.net