World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Francis E. Akins
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Derry, Pennsylvania
Honored By
Jean Louis Vijgen
PILOT ON THE B-17 'I'LL BE SEEING YOU/TILL WE MEET AGAIN' FROM THE 568TH BOMBER SQUADRON, 390TH BOMBER GROUP HEAVY. ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1944 A WAVE OF 108 BOMBERS AND 152 FIGHTER PLANES FLEW A MISSION OF MERCY TO DROP WEAPONS AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO THE BATTERED POLISH UNDERGROUND ARMY IN WARSAW. THEIR PLANE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T MADE IT BACK, CRASHED NEAR THE TOWN OF LOMIANKI, POLAND. HE WAS AWARDED WITH THE AIR MEDAL, OAK LEAF CLUSTER, PURPLE HEART, CROSS OF POLISH UNDERGROUND HOME ARMY AND THE POLISH CROSS OF VALOR. HE IS BURIED AT THE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL ARDENNES IN BELGIUM.