When George Alfred Apple was born on 27 September 1920 in Liberty Township, Shelby County, Indiana, his father, George W and his mother Amy Ethel “Crisler” Apple were both age 22, he would be their only child. George graduated from Waldron High School in 1938, and go on to attend 2 years of college. In 1941 George married Rose Ellen Newton, they had one daughter named Joyce. On 15 December 1942 George enlisted in the Army Air Corps, Aviation Cadet Program, at Lafayette Indiana, original ASN: 15343159. George was called to active duty in February 1943, and received his commission at Marianna Field, Florida, in June, 1944 with a single engine pilot rating, officer ASN: O-834930. George was deployed overseas in February 1945 and on 23 March 1945 assigned to the 343 Squadron, 55th Fighter Group operating as a tenant unit from RAF Wittering, UK coordinates 52.6125, -0.476389.

On 17 April 1945 the mission of the 343rd Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 3rd Air Division, Eighth Air Force was to escort B-17 bombers to the railroad marshalling yard at Dresden, Germany. The 55th Fighter Group was further tasked to strafe targets of opportunity during the escort mission. Lt Apple was flying P-51D, serial number 44-15735, at approximately 1445 hrs. (2:45 PM) elements of the 343rd were attacking ground targets at the Luftwaffe Air Field near Kanenz, Germany 51.291294, 14.122631 located about 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Dresden. The after action reports by fellow squadron members 1st Lt Walter R Fisher and F/O George W Bernardo found in Missing Air Crew Report No. 13918 offer similar accounts for the loss of Lt Apple to flak over this Air Field. F/O Bernardo’s statement reads as follows:
"I saw Lt. Apple crash while firing at a Ju-88. He was low and to the left, 200 feet from me, when he bellied in before his target. He was firing at the time of contact with the ground and continued to do so for 30 feet when he pulled off. He gained 100 feet altitude continuing a straight course for 100 yards. His plane at this time started to leak smoke and liquid from the engine and coolant radiator. He was making a gentle level turn to the left when his prop stopped turning and he fell in more or less flat. Upon contact with the ground his guns were firing as though he were trying to pull-out. The wings of his aircraft were broken off and the fuselage was broken open at the cockpit. I flew over the wreckage several times but could not see movement."

Postwar the remains of Lt Apple were recovered from Germany and permanently interred at the Ardennes American Military Cemetery and Memorial, Neupré, Belgium; Plot C, Row 2, Grave 43.
There is a cenotaph memorial to 2nd Lt George Alfred Apple located at the Forest Hill Cemetery, Shelbyville, Indiana, Plot: Section 18.

Sources:
ancestry.com; Lt George A Apple and family documents

NARA original enlistment record:
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=929&mtch=1&cat=WR26&tf=F&q=15343159&bc=sl&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=169430

fold3.com MACR 13918, 6 pages, start here:
https://www.fold3.com/image/29435443

Newspaper article about Lt Apple published Tuesday May 8, 1945 in Shelbyville Republican, Shelbyville, IN

Pilot photo courtesy 55th Fighter Group Association.

2nd Lt George Alfred Apple, 343rd Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force

Ardennes American Military Cemetery and Memorial, Neupré, Belgium; Plot C, Row 2, Grave 43