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Personal info

Full name
FABISIAK, Theodore F
Date of birth
15 December 1916
Age
27
Place of birth
Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York
Hometown
Onondaga County, New York

Military service

Service number
32586872
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Engineer
Unit
856th Bombardment Squadron,
492nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
19 May 1944
Place of death
Lutter/Steinheuterode, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 31 47

Immediate family

Members
Ignacy Fabisiak (father)
Anna (Kucharski) Fabisiak (mother)
William Fabisiak (brother)
Helen Fabisiak (sister)
Virginia Fabisiak (sister)
John V. Fabisiak (brother)
Edmond M. Fabisiak (brother)
Lucille Fabisiak (sister)
Irene J. Fabisiak (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
44-40088
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Katie Jean
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 5246

More information

S/Sgt Theodore F. Fabisiak enlisted the services on 12 November 1942 in Syracuse, New York. He trained at Keesler Field, Miss., was sent to Brazil and then to England, having been overseas about a month in the Army Air Forces. Before entering the Army he was employed by the Carrier Corporation. His brothers in Service are Pfc William Fabisiak, Marine Corps, Pfc John Fabisiak in England an Seaman 1/c Edmond Fabisiak with the Navy in the Pacific.

On 19 May 44, they flew with the Group on a bombing mission to attack a marshalling yard in Brunswick, Germany. Their position in the Group's formation was on the far right. Always a dangerous position as the Luftwaffe often likes starting at one end, chewing their way across. As they were approaching their target, the 492nd got caught without fighter protection by about 40 German fighters. The wave of enemy FW-190s came in quickly from about one to two o'clock high. Just before the plane fireballed, Lt Wymond, Sgt Dorow and Sgt Kline were able to get out. The blast threw two more men, Lt DeRose and Lt Warakomski, from the plane and they survived and parachuted safely to the ground. All of the dead were initially buried in the Lutter Cemetery. After the war their bodies were recovered and buried in US cemeteries.

Source of information: Michel Beckers, 492nd Bomber Group, www.wwiimemorial.com, Fold3, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / Sharp Family Tree, Syracuse Herald Journal - 30 July 1944

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Syracuse Herald Journal - 30 July 1944