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Abbott, Earl Leroy "Abby"

Date of birth:
January 8th, 1919 (Springboro/Pennsylvania, United States)
Date of death:
January 24th, 1945 (Aachen/Noordrijn-Westfalen, Germany)
Mentioned on:
Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial
Service number:
O-660088
Nationality:
American

Biography

Earl was born in Springboro, Pennsylvania on January 8, 1919 to Harry E. and Edna C. G. Abbott. He also had three brothers (Milton, Harvey, and Russell). He attended college for two years and worked as a machinist apprentice.

He enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 3 November 1941 (ASN: 13038947). He received a battlefield commission (ASN: O-660088) and was a member of the 328th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group. He eventually became a Squadron Commander.

Other units
89th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group
322nd Fighter Squadron, 326th Fighter Group

He disappeared during a fire fight in the sky over Aachen, Germany on January 24, 1945. In January 1946 he was declared dead by the United States Armed Forces. A memorial stone alongside the graves of his parents was placed by the U.S. Government in honor of his memory in the Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery in Erie, Pennsylvania. He is also mentioned on the Tablets of the Missing in the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial in England.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Major
Unit:
28th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group Service, 8th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces
Awarded on:
1945
Earl L. Abbott, United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy while serving with the EIGHTH Air Force in the European Theater of Operations during World War II.

Headquarters, 8th Air Force, General Orders No. 37; Posthumously awarded
Silver Star Medal (SSM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded 9 times: 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, 3 x Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal (AM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Second AM awarded as Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal (AM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Third AM awarded as Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal (AM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Fourth AM awarded as Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal (AM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Fifth AM awarded as Silver Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal (AM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Sixth AM awarded as Bronze Oak Leave Cluster
Air Medal (AM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Seventh AM awarded as Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal (AM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Eight AM awarded as Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal (AM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Ninth AM awarded as Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal (AM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded 3 times: 2 x Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Second DFC awarded as Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Third DFC awarded as Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Sources

Photo