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Personal info

Full name
FAZEKAS, Frank
Date of birth
21 March 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey
Hometown
Mercer County, New Jersey

Military service

Service number
O-798271
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
22nd Fighter Squadron,
36th Fighter Group
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
27 May 1944
Place of death
Lederzeele/Buysscheure, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing
* This soldier has been accounted for. A rosette has been placed next to his name.

Immediate family

Members
John Fazekas (father)
Julia Fazekas (mother)
Alex Sabo (brother)
Alex Gaul (stepbrother)
Theresa F. (Yuhas) Fazekas (wife)
Frank S. Fazekas (son)

Plane data

Serial number
42-75253
Data
Type: P-47D
MACR: 9835

More information

Frank Fazekas attended high school for four years and was a metalworker.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Trenton, New Jersey, on 31 March 1942.

Statement of 2nd Lt Charles H. Nott, who flew in the same mission: "Lt Fazekas was flying in formation about 10,000 feet. He made a gentle diving turn from his formation. He kept losing altitude, and suddenly his ship broke into a tight spiral just before he hit the ground. The ship exploded instantly. He made no radio call and showed no sign of consciousness. There was plenty of time for jumping, but the pilot was not seen to make any attempt to do so."

The plane exploded and burned for several days.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced on 16 August 2017 that the remains of 1st Lt Fazekas were found and identified.

He was given his final resting place on 28 March 2018 at the Arlington National Cemetery.

A video about the recovery of his remains and the story behind the crash can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svi99cScbWA

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com / Theresa Yuhas Fazekas Drombroski obituary / 1940 Census

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, 36thFighterGroup.com, A. Destro III