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Personal info

Full name
IACONIS, Frank
Date of birth
23 December 1922
Age
21
Place of birth
Wolf Summit, Harrison County, West Virginia
Hometown
Queens, Queens County, New York

Military service

Service number
32987202
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator
Unit
601st Bombardment Squadron,
398th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
26 November 1944
Place of death
In the IJsselmeer, former Zuider Zee, near Zwolle, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Michael Iaconis (father)
Rosina (Scalise) Iaconis (mother)
Catherine Iaconis (sister)
John Iaconis (brother)
Mary Iaconis (sister)
Joseph P. Iaconis (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-102565
Data
Type: B-17
Nickname: Ugly Duckling
Destination: Misburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Deulag synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 11147

More information

S/Sgt Frank Iaconis enlisted in New York City, New York on 19 July 1943.

Statement of 2nd Lt Henry A. Skubik:
"Our formation was hit by flak around Zwolle. I saw one burst of flak directly beneath their wing. Immediately after the burst, the plane peeld off up and to the left of the formation. There was no visible fire or smoke. The next I heard, the pilot was calling on VHF, stating that he had a runaway prop and he could not feather it and he would try to make Belgium of France."

The entire crew bailed out safely but perished in the ice cold water of the lake.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, NARA, MACR, www.ancestry.com - World War II Army Enlistment Records / West Virginia, Birth Index
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Carol I. Rappold