COON, CARL Mar 16, 1945 age 23 MIA Germany

CARL WILLIAM COON, b. 1922 Wisconsin Missing in Action Mar 16, 1945 Germany. Body recovered after the War

Sgt Navigator Toggler 16149828 Army Air Corps 584^th Bomber Squad 394^th Bomber Group, Medium

Buried Netherlands American Cem., Magraten, Netherlands

Parents: Mother Ester born 1897 Endeavor, Wisconsin. No data on father. Ester was divorced in the 1930 census, remarried Faron E. Burlingame in 1935 in Lucas Co., Ohio; Faron had divorced in 1924. I didn’t realize it happened so often back in the 1920’s-30’s; or maybe it is just reflective of this group, a lot of resettlement from other states, factories opening up opportunities. In 1940 they lived at 15508 Patton (appears to be an empty lot now), then moved to15840 Westbrook. Ester died in 1989; she and Faron are buried in Belleville, MI

Siblings: none

He left Redford in Sept 1940 after 3 years. He registered for the draft 30 June 1942 and was employed by J.L. Hudson Co., also now long gone. Carl was 125 lbs with blue eyes and brown hair, stood 5’7”. Noted that his next of kin was R.A. Paselk, not his mother. Then Nov 6, 1942 enlisted in the Michigan Air Corps where he is recorded as 170 lbs and 5’6”! At that time he was a machinists apprentice with Fisher Body Co.

The war took him on a Martin B-26 Marauder; he was the bombardier Tail Gunner. Carl volunteered for the Düsseldorf raid March 16, 1945. He and six other crew were killed or missing, each having a differing missing or dead date. There could be as much as a year or more from the MIA notification until a determination of death was found. Often the person was in an area not under Allie control so a body couldn’t be recovered.

The AF Individual Casualty Questionnaire gives a detailed account of the incident. Did he bail out? Unknown. If not, why not Plane on fire – can’t see.
Past contact or conversation just prior to or at time of loss of plane: Pilot said prepare to Jump. Was he injured? Unknown Where was he when last seen? Near Greuenbrood Germany Any explanation of his fate in part or wholly on supposition: Hit several times with HO mm losing altitude fast. Possibly killed in plane.
Any heresay information: None.

Carl’s body was found after the war,