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name
DOLECEK, Victor Donald - Date of
birth
18 September 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Kansas -
Hometown
Russell, Russell County, Kansas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-697998 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
712th Bombardment Squadron,
448th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
21 June 1944 - Place of
death
Somewhere in the District of Mecklenburg, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Victor P. Dolecek (father)
Blanche (Liske) Dolecek (mother)
Robert D. Dolecek (brother)
Mary E. Dolecek (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-95186 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Destination: Marienfelde-Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Daimler-Benz tank engine factory
MACR: 6264
More information
2nd Lt Victor D. Dolecek attended the University of Kansas.The aircraft made an emergency landing after being hit by flak in an inboard engine and the wing fuel tanks.
The entire crew of nine men bailed out successfully.
Seven crew members were taken prisoner at different places on the day itself or the next day.
The navigator, Robert J. Branizza, was taken prisoner six days later and spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft III. The pilot, Lt Howell, was the last to bail out, but his parachute failed to open. He was initially hospitalized with a fractured skull and later transferred to Stalag Luft III.
The other crew members were all executed by German civilians.
During a military court in Dachau during the period of 20 February to 31 March 1947, seven German civilians were charged for the murder of Vicore Dolecek, Sammie Vinson, James Vajgel, and George Grubsia. Several were sentenced to death, others to imprisonment.
Herschel Hamblin, Bertil Johnson, and Arthur Majectic were executed by unknown assailants in the district of Schönberg. James Vajgl was shot by one or more unknown assailants in or near Börzow on 23 June 1944.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / Dolecek Family Tree / Kansas Find A Grave Index, http://aircrewremembered.com/howell-cleve.html
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com - University of Kansas Yearbook 1941