Arning Eugene

Name:

Eugene Arning

Rank:

First Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-678516

Unit:

535th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomber Group, Heavy

Date of Death:

1944-04-28

State:

Texas

Cemetery:

Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial, France

Plot:

A

Row:

7

Grave:

11

Decoration:

Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart

Comments:

Eugene Arning was born on June 13, 1923, in Taylor, Williamson County, Texas. He was the son of Otto W. Arning and Emma Caroline Teggemann Arning. He was married to Mary Novis Bozarth Hayhurst.

Eugene served in the 535th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Bombardier on the B-17G #42-38061 "Georgia Rebel II" during World War II. On April 28, 1944, the crew took off at airfield Station 167 in Ridgewell, England, on a mission to bomb the airfield of Avord in France. At around 12:00 PM, the aircraft was shot down by flak. Three crew members were able to bail out before the explosion in flight, but they were taken as prisoners. The rest were killed in action, including 1Lt Arning. Their airplane crashed at the commune of Baugny - 8 km northeast of Avord.

1Lt Arning is now buried in the Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial, France.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net, www.abmc.gov