Pratt Joe Frank

Name:

Joe Frank Pratt

Rank:

Sergeant

Serial Number:

38513794

Unit:

451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium

Date of Death:

1945-03-18

State:

Texas

Cemetery:

Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France

Plot:

A

Row:

19

Grave:

28

Decoration:

Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart

Comments:

Joe Frank Pratt was born on January 12, 1924, in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas. He was the son of William Claud Pratt and Zadie Ettia Jackson Pratt. He served in the 451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium, as a Sergeant and Engineer Gunner of B-26G #43-34422 during World War II.

On March 18, 1945, the aircraft crashed near airfield A-61 in Beauvais-Till�, France, shortly after takeoff for a mission targeting road infrastructure in Germany. While assembling into formation, a piloting error led to a mid-air collision with another B-26, serial number 43-34409, at approximately 08:50. The crash resulted in the complete destruction of both aircraft.

Sgt Pratt was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France.

Source of information: http://francecrashes39-45.net/