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name
KRALICK, Joseph G - Date of
birth
28 May 1913 -
Age
30 -
Place of birth
St. Clair, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
St. Clair, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania -
Ethnicity
White
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
33234207 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Waist Gunner -
Unit
532nd Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
25 July 1943 - Place of
death
Baltic Sea, Lübecker Bocht, off the coast of Neustadt in Holstein, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 12 | 49 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Joseph Kralick (father)
Mary A. (Sherkhness) Kralick (mother)
John A. Kralick (brother)
Anthony J. Kralick (brother)
Anna M. Kralick (sister)
Mary A. Kralick (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30013 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Lethal Lady
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the diesel engine works
MACR: 130
More information
S/Sgt Joseph G. Kralick graduated St. Clair High School and was a driller.He enlisted in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on 22 June 1942. He was sent to Europe early in 1943.
The primary target was the diesel engine works but due to cloud cover the Blohm & Voss Naval shipyard was bombed.
The airplane was hit by flak, just after passing over the target. It was believed that the flak knocked about a foot off of the left end of the left airleron, knocked off a part of the left horizonal stabilizer and the left wing tip was on fire. When last sighted, tha airplane was going down, straight ahead.
Six crew members were taken prisoner, four were killed.
According to surviving crew members, S/Sgt Kralick had accidentally opened his parachute before he jumped and therefore the parachute didn't open properly.
The radio operator, S/Sgt Usher, however testified that he saw S/Sgt Kralick's body and that he was shot in the head by a civilan.
S/Sgt Kralick was initially buried at the cemetery of Neustadt on 26 July 1943.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, NARA, Missing Aircrew Report 130, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / family tree, Schuylkill County Genealogy Pottsville Republican, Veteran Compensation Application File, www.newspapers.com - The Pottsville Republican - 21/23 September 1946
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - St. Clair High School Yearbook 1934