World War II Honoree

Francis M. Wikstrom

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Ponca, Nebraska

Honored By

Jerry Penry

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN A ‘DOUGLAS’ C-39 TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT, WHO WAS KILLED JANUARY 31, 1944 ALONG WITH TWO OTHER CREWMEMBERS DURING A NAVIGATIONAL NIGHTTIME TRAINING MISSION. THE FIRST LEG OF THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WAS FROM ROSECRANS ARMY AIR FIELD, ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI TO THE SIOUX CITY, IOWA ARMY AIR FIELD WHERE THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY. THE PILOT THEN TOOK-OFF AT 00:30 HOURS ON THE SECOND LEG OF THE MISSION WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED AN ENGINE FAILURE ON THE NUMBER TWO ENGINE, WHICH WAS ALSO REPORTED TO BE ON FIRE. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE SIOUX CITY AIR BASE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE GROUND, EXPLODING UPON IMPACT AFTER CLEARING A GROVE OF TREES IN THE VICINITY OF DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.