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Submit- Full
name
YACONA, Frank - Date of
birth
16 February 1911 -
Age
33 -
Place of birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois -
Hometown
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36670995 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Left Waist Gunner -
Unit
564th Bombardment Squadron,
389th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
12 December 1944 - Place of
death
Rücklingen, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 30 | 6 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John Yacona (father)
Jenny Yacona (mother)
Zera Yacona (sister)
Jenny Yacona (sister)
Mary Yacona (sister)
James Yacona (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-50662 -
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Patsy
Destination: Hanau, Germany
MACR: 11338
More information
S/Sgt Frank Yacona was employed at the Main U.S. Post Office in downtown Chicago.1st Lt Darold L. Shutt:
We were on the bomb run, about one minute before bombs away, when the lead ship, 42-95582 made two violent corrections with very, very steep banks causing the high right element leader 42-50548 to make a violent bank to the left. Aircraft 42-50662, apparently dropped below aircraft 42-50548 in order to stay in some kind of formation. My attention was directed away from the aircraft as we were concentrating on the bomb run. After bombs away, when I again picked up aircraft 42-50662, the plane was in flames, the tail section behind the waist windows was falling off, the right wing was in flames, and the # 3 engine was gone. Immediately thereafter the entire nose section exploded. No chutes were observed.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, Lisa Leone Anderson, www.389thbg.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com – MACR
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Lisa Leone Anderson