Memorial

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Lt Emil V. Potucek Graduated from Malin High School in 1937 where he was active in sports. He was on the football and basketball team where he earned a letter.

He was married to Marie Watkins in 1942.

He operated a small restaurant in Malin and also had been employed on various ranches.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Santa Ana, California on 29 March 1943. He received his training at Roswell Army Air Field in New Mexico. A short time later, he received his wings and became a pilot at Fort Sumner in New Mexico.

The mission took place on 17 October 1944. Over the target, the airplane was hit by flak on the left wing, between #1 and #2 engines. The wing broke off at the #2 engine and caught fire. The airplane went over on its back, and then went down, completely out of control. By impact it disintegrated. The airplane crashed at the railway station of Merten, south of Cologne.

Of the crew of nine men, three men were killed in the crash, two were not or just slightly wounded and were taken prisoner and four died of wounds two days later.

Lt Potucek was one of the wounded who died two days later.

The deceased men were initially buried at the cemetery of Waldorf near Bornheim.

The pictures were taken in high school in 1937.