Memorial

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Lt Dargacz graduated from Pensacola High School in 1940. He was a shipyard and aircraft metal worker at Pearl Harbor, from where he enlisted on 22 March 1943. He was awarded his wings and commission at the Army Air Force Bombardier School at Kirkland Field, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Before completion of his 18 weeks of flight and combat training, he was stationed at Kingman, Arizona, where he graduated from the AAF flexible gunnery school as an aerial gunner. He had previously served at Schofield Barracks and Hickham Field in the Hawaiian Islands.

The aircraft was struck by aircraft 44-6511 coming from the high section in the same squadron, just having lost an engine. It collided with 44-6571 and cut it in two at midship when #1 and #2 engines caught it aft of the radio room. It went down immediately.

Eight crew members were killed, one survived and was taken prisoner.

Lt Dargacz was initially buried at the cemetery of Quakenbrück, Germany, on 4 November 1944.

Airplane 44-6511 was able to crash-land at the Advanced Landing Ground A-93 in Bierset-Liège, Belgium, with no casualties.