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name
PIKULA, Frank W - Date of
birth
5 October 1917 -
Age
27 - Place of
birth
East Chicago, Lake County, Indiana -
Hometown
Hammond, Lake County, Indiana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
16137051 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Nose Gunner -
Unit
825th Bombardment Squadron,
484th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
7 April 1945 - Place of
death
Parchim, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 39 | 17 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John Pikula (father)
Selma A. (Machota) Pikula (mother)
Josephine Pikula (sister)
Lillian Pikula (sister)
Chester Pikula (brother)
Janet Pikula (sister)
Mary C. (Mihalko) Pikula (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-39163 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Happy Warrior
Destination: Parchim, Germany
Mission: Operational Bombing
MACR: 13889
More information
Sgt Pikula graduated from Catholic Central High School.Eyewitness Statement:
"At 1440 hours, over the target area (at an altitude of 15,000), a/c 846 released its bombs, and one of the 100-lb. clusters broke apart and floated through the formation. One of the 20-lb. bombs in the cluster apparently became armed and hit a/c 163. The a/c seemed to burst into flame immediately. Six men jumped from this a/c and five chutes were definitely seen to open."
S/Sgt Frank W. Pikula bailed out. According to a crew member, he escaped into woods with another crew member, 2nd Lt George E. Lyford, and had not been captured at the time of his report. He believed both were killed by Germans on landing or after capture.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com – Headstone and Interment Record / Family Trees, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.newspapers.com - The Times (Munster)
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, http://www.486th.org - Joe Cirelli via Brian Lindner, www.newspapers.com - The Times (Munster)