Michael Peter Christ was born on August 4, 1920. He was the husband of Florence Christ. He served in the 32nd Bomber Squadron, 301st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Waist Gunner of B‑17G‑35‑BO #42‑32107 during World War II.

On July 26, 1944, the aircraft was shot down while carrying out a bombing mission over Austria. It went down near St. Jakob im Walde in the Styria region, one of multiple bombers lost by the group that day amid heavy enemy fighter resistance. The losses occurred during a larger Allied air campaign aimed at industrial targets across Austria, which encountered significant opposition.

SSgt Christ was captured and held as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft IV in Gross-Tychow in Pomerania, Prussia until the war’s end. He ended his military service as a Technical Sergeant. He died on December 7, 2009, and is now buried in the Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, Oakland County, Michigan, USA.

Source of information: b17flyingfortress.de, www.32ndbombsquadron.org