World War II Honoree

Aloysious 'Al' Fangman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Raeville, Nebraska

Honored By

Jill & Larry Svoboda

Relationship

Daughter & Son-in-law

CAPTAIN. STATIONED IN THE PHILIPPINES DURING THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR. FLEW AS AN OBSERVER IN A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE, WHICH ENCOUNTERED ENEMY JAPANESE FIRE THE DAY AFTER PEARL HARBOR. HE TOOK BULLET WOUNDS TO HIS BODY AND SHOWED THE PILOT HE HAD BEEN HIT BY HOLDING UP A BLOOD RED HAND. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY SET DOWN AND CAPTAIN FANGMAN WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, WHERE HE STAYED FOR AN INDEFINITE TIME PERIOD BEFORE THE HOSPITAL WAS EVACUATED DUE TO INVADING JAPANESE TROOPS. HE WAS PLACED ON THE MAC TAN HOSPITAL SHIP BECAUSE HE COULD NOT FIGHT WITH HIS INJURIES. MOST OF THE OTHER COMRADES WERE ENLISTED INTO THE BATAAN BATTLE. HE WAS EVENTUALLY TAKEN TO SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE HE RECOVERED FROM HIS WOUNDS AND WAS GIVEN AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE.