Cramer Douglas H.

Monuments

Cpt West and Lt Cramer Crash Marker

Name:

Douglas H. Cramer

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-741482

Unit:

598th Bomber Squadron, 397th Bomb Group, Medium

Date of Death:

1944-08-01

State:

Wisconsin

Cemetery:

Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin

Plot:

Section 23, Lot 395, Vault Casket

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

2nd Lt Douglas H. Cramer, navigator of the B-26 Marauder 43-34126 "By Golly", took off from station 168 Rivenhall, Essex, UK on a bombing mission to destroy a bridge in Angers. They were targeted and shot down by a German Me-109. The plane was partially bailed out, but Cramer and Cpt West did not make it. Cramer's parachute had burned, rendering it useless. In order to save his navigator, West opted to try to land the plane instead of bailing out himself. The plane exploded in midair before he could manage that. Cramer can be seen in the attached newspaper article.