Charles Harrison Duke


Sgt    38272742    616th
Michigan
1910 - 1944

Tail Gunner aboard 42-38012


Rosedale Cemetery
Pontotoc County , Oklahoma , USA.



     Charles was born Oct 17, 1910, Ada, Oklahoma.
     An Ada high school graduate, he lettered in football and track.
     He became employed by the Motor Equipment Co. here, became assistant manager, later was manager
     for the company at Clinton and Duncan before going to Ardmore to work for the Ardmore Auto Supply.

     In Oct 1943 he enlisted to the air corps.

     Later he arrived in England to join the 401st BG
     His last mission, Jan 29, 1944, Target: Frankfurt, the plane was attacked by enemy fighters.
     On the return flight the plane was hit by a rocket of a ME 110 , German fighter.
     Unfortunately, Charles was killed

     He was awarded with an Air Medal and a Purple Heart Medal





Individual casualty questionaire

Told by Mitchell Kenneth Woods , Co-Pilot.

- Name of crew member : Duke , Charles Harrison.
- Rank : Sgt.
- Serial number : 38272742
- Position : Tail Gunner.

- Did he bail out ? : Yes.

- Any explanation of his fate ? : .
                                                          I believe that he was killed after the first fighter attack.
                                                          His body was probably distroyed when the plane exploded.

- Total number of missions of above crew member ? : 3

- Date and destinations if possible ? : Jan    5,  1944 Tours, France
                                                                     Jan  21, 1944 Notre Dame de Ferme
                                                                     Jan  29, 1944 Frankfurt on Main

- Birth: Oct. 17, 1910
- Death: Jan. 29, 1944

   Sgt. Charles Duke (33) Body Returned From Overseas
   A graveside service will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Rosedale cemetery with military honors from Tinker Field,
   Oklahoma City, American Legion and VFW of Ada. Sgt. Duke, son of Mrs. Mabel Duke, now of Detroit.

   He was born in Ada and grew up here.

   He was buried first in Germany, later in France; final identification was made three months ago and his
   mother indicated a preference for burial here instead of in a military cemetery in Belgium.

               (Ada (OK) Weekly News, 4 May 1950, p. 3)(Courtesy David Edsall)




Mission to Frankfurt, germany, on the return flight the plane was hit by a rocket of a ME 110 , German fighter.




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