World War II Honoree

Jesse W. Cole

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Sanford, North Carolina

Honored By

John Meurs

Relationship

Dutch Historian

SERVICE NUMBER 34854210. SERVED AS A WAIST GUNNER WITH THE 491ST BOMB GROUP, 853RD BOMB SQUADRON OF THE 8TH U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES BASED IN ENGLAND. ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1944, HIS B-24 BOMBER, SERIAL NUMBER 44-40212, WAS ON A MISSION TO THE SYNTHETIC FUEL PLANT IN MISBURG, GERMANY. IT WAS ATTACKED ON THE BOMB RUN BY GERMAN FIGHTERS. THE BOMBER EXPLODED AND CRASHED NEAR HILDESHEIM, GERMANY. ONLY THE TWO PILOTS COULD BAIL OUT AND WERE TAKEN PRISONER. THE OTHER SEVEN CREW MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE HONOREE, WERE KILLED DURING THE ATTACK OR IN THE EXPLOSION.