Beal Edwin

Monuments

Douglas C-47 42-92700 Crash Site Memorial

Douglas C-47 42-92700

Name:

Edwin Beal

Rank:

Private

Serial Number:

31041602

Unit:

72nd Anti-Aircraft Gun Battalion

Date of Death:

1944-11-01

State:

Maine

Cemetery:

Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial, France

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Purple Heart

Comments:

Edwin Beal was born on April 20, 1915, in Shapleigh, Maine. He was the son of Rufus Beal, who resided in Newfield, Maine.

Edwin resided in York County, Maine, prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on January 27, 1942, at Fort Deven's, Massachusetts. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being Single, without dependents.

Pvt Beal served in the 72nd Anti-Aircraft Gun Battalion during World War II. A passenger on the C-47 #42-92700 on November 1, 1944, the flight was evacuating wounded soldiers and prisoners and was trying to reach Montélimar from Luxeuil and then to a hospital in Naples, Italy. On board are five crew members, nine American wounded soldiers (including Pvt Beal), and six German wounded prisoners. At around 2:30 PM, the airplane hit the Pilat mountain range and crashed due to poor weather conditions. Unfortunately, there were no survivors.

Pvt Beal is now buried in the Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial, France.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, francecrashes39-45.net