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Archive Report: US Forces
1941 - 1945

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via Helpdesk
9th Air Force
16.03.1945 23rd Fighter Squadron P-47D 44-32977 2nd Lt. Christian W. Cracknell

Operation: Armed Recce Siegen area, Germany

Date: 16th March 1945 (Friday)

Unit No: 23rd Fighter Squadron, 36th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force

Type: P-47D

Serial: 44-32977

Code: 7U:?

Base: ALG (Y-10), Le Culot, Belgium

Location: Near Altendorf, SE of Wuppertal, Germany

Pilot: 2nd Lt. Christian William Cracknell O-1996074 AAF Age 24. KiA

Above: Courtesy of the Democrat and Chronicle, dated 5th February 1945

REASON FOR LOSS:

2nd Lt. Cracknell took off from ALG (Y-10) at Le Culot in Belgium on the morning of the 16th March 1945 as part of a two flight sortie on an Armed Reconnaissance in the Siegen area, Germany.

After mission statement by 1st Lt. Marvin W. Heiden O-716128 of the same Squadron:

‘Lt. Cracknell was flying number four position in red flight and had called in a train which we dive bombed. He went down to strafe and rejoined the formation. He was last seen when he went in strafing barrage ballons, following red leader. We received a faint answer, but could not understand him when asked for his position. The time was 08:45 hrs 16 March 1945. Target area was three miles west of Olpe, Germany’.

After mission statement by 1st Lt. John W. McClelland O-700296, red leader, of the same Squadron:

‘Lt. Cracknell was the fourth man in my flight and had been instrumental in finding the targets which we were strafing. When we rejoined to return him, he was missing. When called over the radio, we heard a faint reply which we believed to be Lt. Cracknell. We could not contact him again. He was last seen in the target area about 3 miles west of Olpe, Germany at approximately 0845 hours’.

The circumstance leading to the loss of the aircraft and death of 2nd Lt. Cracknell are not known, however, it was recorded that the aircraft had crashed near Altendorf about 3½ km (2 mls) east of Radevormwald, which is SE of Wuppertal, Germany.

Above: Courtesy of the Democrat and Chronicle, dated 10th April 1945

Burial Details

Above Grave marker for 2nd Lt. Cracknell (Courtesy of Dominique Potier – FindAGrave)

2nd Lt. Christian William Cracknell. Air Medal (4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Reinterred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot ZZ, Row 2, Grave 36. Finally laid to rest in Plot C, Row 3, Grave 41. On the 24th March 1920 in Coalville, Leicestershire, England. Son of William James and Lucy (née Albrighton) Cracknell of Rochester, New York, USA. Husband to Georgianna Kathlyn (née Lorch) Cracknell of Rochester, New York, USA.

He and his family emigrated to the USA on the 12th March 1921.

Researched by Ralph Snape and dedicated to the pilot and his relatives (Sep 2024).

Other sources listed below:

RS 09.09.2024 - Initial upload

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Acknowledgments: Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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