Poplett Gerald H. "Bob"

Name:

Gerald H. "Bob" Poplett

Rank:

Technical Sergeant

Serial Number:

36060692

Unit:

728th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy

Date of Death:

1944-03-28

State:

Illinois

Cemetery:

Parkview Cemetery, Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois

Plot:

Section B

Row:

358

Grave:

1 GHS

Decoration:

Air Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal

Comments:

Gerald H. "Bob" Poplett was born on November 13, 1920, in Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois. He was the son of Wilber I Poplett and Kate Hartman Poplett.

Gerald served in the 728th Bomber Squadron, 452nd Bomb Group, as a Technical Sergeant and Mechanic on the B-17 #42-32082 'The Passionate Witch II' during World War II.

On March 28, 1944, his crew took off from Sation 142 airfield in Deopham Free, England, on a mission to bomb the Chateaudun airfield in France. At 14:08H, their plane was shot down by flak, taking a direct hit in the #4 tank, which ignited a huge fire. Their airplane exploded in flight and crashed 2 km south of Chateaudun airfield. The plane was totally destroyed in a ground collision with an Avro Lancaster. Six crew members (including TSgt Poplett) were Killed in Action. The others were able to bail out of the plane before it exploded but were taken as prisoners except for SSgt McLaughlin, who died in a hospital the next day.

TSgt Poplett is now buried in the Parkview Cemetery, Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois, USA.

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