Cole Alfred W., Jr.

Name:

Alfred W., Jr. Cole

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

Unit:

850th Bomber Squadron, 490th Bomber Group, Heavy

Date of Death:

1945-03-21

State:

New York

Cemetery:

Long Lake Cemetery, Long Lake, New York

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

Alfred W. Cole, Jr. was born on December 28, 1922, in Long Lake, New York. He was the son of Alfred W. and Elsie A Parker Cole.

Alfred served in the 850th Bomber Squadron, 490th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner on the B-17G #43-38575 during World War II. He was Killed in Action on March 21, 1945, when his airplane was shot down by a ME262 aircraft and crashed near Elsterwerda, Germany. All men aboard were killed except SSgt Gilbert Wright, who was taken as a prisoner.

SSgt Cole is now buried in the Long Lake Cemetery, Long Lake, Hamilton County, New York, USA.

Airmen who perished were:
1Lt Herman Ballard - Pilot
1Lt Gilbert Brown - Co-Pilot
Cpl Henry Bennett - Right Waist Gunner
SSgt Alfred Cole - Tail Gunner
SSgt James Huddy - Bombardier
TSgt Albert Jenkins - Top Turret Gunner
2Lt George Kumm - Navigator
SSgt James Price - Ball Turret Gunner

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.americanairmuseum.com, honorstates.org