Captain Norman L. Aigner: An Ordinary Guy
If you’ve been reading my blog with any regularity, you have probably come across more than one article about an “ordinary guy” who was completely extraordinary in battle.
This article is about one such man. There is a recurrent theme pointing to Norman Aigner being quite an average guy. Don’t get me wrong: Speaking from experience, being an average, ordinary guy is a pretty good thing to be in this life. But I am always in awe of men who prove themselves to be unspeakably brave and...
Bill Beigel Researches Michigan WWII Casualties, MIAs, and POWs
These summaries are posted to honor these selfless men from Michigan who served and lost their lives. This list includes Medal of Honor recipient 1st Lt. George H. Cannon ~ Bill
Abel, Andrew W., TEC5, Camp McCoy, died of “poisoning acute, carbon tetra chloride, adema, pulmonary”, 12/21/44 at Station Hospital, Fort Sheridan, IL. TEC5 Abel was on temporary duty assisting the Postal Department as a truck driver. While at Antlers Hotel in Milwaukee fell asleep in bed; a fire occurred, and...
Brooklyn honors immigrant son, SGT John Sardiello
SGT John Sardiello was born on August 17, 1918. Like many of the men who served in World War 2, he was the descendant of immigrants. His parents, Joseph and Mildred (Millie), came to the United States in 1913. Joseph Sardiello established a mattress-making business in Brooklyn.
On January 24, 1941, Sardiello entered the Army, and was assigned I Company of the 119th Infantry Regiment, part of the 30th Infantry Division
He was killed in the ferocious post D-Day fighting in the...
Medal of Honor Recipient Capt. Francis Wai
Francis Brown Wai was born on April 14, 1917, in Hawaii. Francis was the son of Kim Wai and Rosina Wai. Kim Wai had immigrated to Hawaii from China; in Hawaii, where he established himself as a successful banker and was both well-known and well-regarded. Francis, Kim's eldest child, had three brothers and one sister. Francis was an avid athlete and graduated from Hawaii's elite Punahou High School in 1935.
He attended Sacramento Junior College from 1936 - 1937, where he played quarterback in...
Memorial Day: 1945
Memorial Day, May 30, 1945. The War in Europe is over, but the bloody struggle in the Pacific continues on, with no end in sight.
P-47 "Jugs" of the 318th Fighter Group were raiding targets on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. This mission was a so-called “Heckler” mission. These raids had no specific target; the intent was to harass and attack whatever target they might come across.
The weather was bad; it was listed as “completely closed in” at the base of the 318th on the...
“Maxwell House”
The desperate search for 2nd Lt. Peter Pokrifcsak
The letter was dated July 2, 1944. Like so many tens of thousands written during the War, it was a plea for information, any information at all. It was written by Ellen Kroboth, girlfriend of 2nd Lieutenant Peter G. Pokrifcsak and friend of his family. (Ellen's last name is misspelled in the typed letter.)
Chaplain Frank L. Whitney:
I am writing on behalf of Lt. Peter Pokrifcsak’s family and myself. We want to thank you very...
B-Beer
Like many young Americans, Carl Joseph Van Horn, of Columbus, Ohio, was eager to “get into the fight.” So, in July of 1941, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, and was trained as a navigator.
When America entered the war in December of 1941, Van Horn stayed with the RCAF, while being assigned 12th Replacement Depot of the United States Air Corps.
While flying out of Coningsby, he flew a number of night missions, as Commonwealth crews typically did. He was credited with flying...
Caboose Blue Section
It was June 6, 1944. The 4th Fighter Group, flying the P-51 Mustang, was on a fighter sweep over Northern France in support of the D-Day landings taking place that day.
No one saw the Mustang, piloted by 1st LT Harold L. Ross, Jr., of Greensboro, NC, go down. The only description of his last mission came from 1st LT Ralph K. "Kidd" Hofer, himself shot down and killed less than a month later, on July 2, 1944.
“I was leading ‘Cobweb Red Section.’ We were split up due to abortives, so...
“Ace”
It was May 22, 1944. The 61st Fighter Squadron was over Rotenburg, Germany. Flight Officer (soon to be promoted to 2nd Lieutenant) Evan D. McMinn, of Pittsburgh, with the 56th Fighter Group (http://www.56thfightergroup.co.uk/index.html), described what happened next:
Flight Officer McMinn had become an “ace,” the designation awarded when five or more enemy aircraft had been destroyed.
Two weeks later, on D-Day, June 6, 1994, the newly-promoted 2nd Lieutenant McMinn was with his...