Theodore was born on April 17, 1927 in Ashland , Kentucky.
He entered service on August 11, 1943 ( 16 Years old !!! ).

He was a Ball Turret Gunner and flew with the crew of " Wolf pack ".
A B-17G , identification number 43-38159     IY-N.

Nov. 2, 1944, mission 164 , deep in the heart of central Germany, site of Leuna, the world's largest synthetic oil refinery.
It was the primary producer of oil for the Third Reich
Merseburg became Hitler's most fortified stronghold in all Germany, encircled with hundreds of flak battery emplacements.

The 8th Air Force lost 38 B-17's that day.

After the bombs were on their way the plane was hit by flak
Due to lack of space , ball turret gunners could not wear their parachutes.
His chute was in the radio room and he could have reached it between bail out signal, and explosion
Because the plane was hit in engine number 3 and 10 seconds later the plane explode

He was found dead on the crash point site

On Jan. 12, 1945 came a message that the town mayor of Kriegsdorf ( 2 miles east of Merseburg ) had buried him

His ID tag was returned by a farmer who found it on his field close by Kriegsdorf