Gruette Gerald Otto

Name:

Gerald Otto Gruette

Rank:

Technical Sergeant

Serial Number:

17186915

Unit:

603rd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group

Date of Death:

1944-07-13

State:

Minnesota

Cemetery:

Mound Cemetery, Mound, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Purple Heart

Comments:

Gerald Otto Gruette was born on December 3, 1923, in Becker County, Minnesota. He enlisted in the service on December 16, 1941. He served in the 603rd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Technical Sergeant and Radio Operator of B-17 #42-97348 during World War II.

On July 13, 1944, the aircraft participated in a bombing raid over Munich. During the mission, the aircraft was hit by flak, which caused it to break apart mid-air. The plane exploded and crashed near Vlezenbeek, southwest of Brussels, Belgium. All ten crew members were killed in action.

TSgt Gruette is now buried in the Mound Cemetery, Mound, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA. Gerald O. Gruette's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 1 (left), on Butterfly 4, in the bottom right wing (section D).

Source of information:www.americanairmuseum.com, B-17flyingfortress.de, www.398th.org