Tritschler Phillip Henry

Name:

Phillip Henry Tritschler

Rank:

Sergeant

Serial Number:

Unit:

66th Bomber Squadron, 44th Bomber Group, Heavy

Date of Death:

2002-11-02

State:

Tennessee

Cemetery:

Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, Tennessee

Plot:

GG

Row:

26

Grave:

39

Decoration:

Comments:

Phillip Henry Tritschler was born on 31 January 1923 in Nashville, Tennessee. He was the son of Harrison Taber Tritschler and Alice Harris Dance Tritschler. He was married to Frances Walker Kerr Tritschler.

On 3 January 1943, on B-24D #41-23371, while serving as Ball Turret Gunner, the aircraft made a crash-landing near the crossroads south of Little Newcastle, Wales, returning from target U-Boat yards (submarine) at St. Nazaire, France. Fuel shortage caused the crash.

On 17 May 1943, on B-24D #42-40130 'Avenger II,' while serving as Waist Gunner, the aircraft developed engine trouble en-route to the target as Bordeaux, France. The pilot decided to land the aircraft at Lugo-de-Llanera airfield at Asturias, Spain. The entire crew was interned but taken to Gibraltar and returned to England on 8 August 1943.

Tritschler also served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He attained the rank of Major. He died on 2 November 2002, at the age of 79, in Brentwood, Tennessee, and he is now buried in the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.americanairmuseum.com