Tuttle Francis Marion

Name:

Francis Marion Tuttle

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

37657707

Unit:

603rd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group

Date of Death:

1944-07-13

State:

Iowa

Cemetery:

Woods Cemetery, Wayne County, Iowa, USA

Plot:

A

Row:

10

Grave:

236

Decoration:

Purple Heart

Comments:

Francis Marion Tuttle was born on December 23, 1909, in Cambria, Wayne County, Iowa. He was the son of William Jennings Tuttle and Ollie Belle Moncrief Tuttle. He enlisted in the service on January 23, 1943. He served in the 603rd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Waist Gunner 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.

SSgt Tuttle is now buried in the Woods Cemetery, Wayne County, Iowa, USA. Francis M. Tuttle's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 1 (left), on Butterfly 4, in the top left wing (section A).

Source of information: 398th.org, b17flyingfortress.de