World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Alexander Zilbert
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
New York, New York
Honored By
A Grateful American
STAFF SERGEANT, B-24 LIBERATOR, 400TH SQUADRON 'BLACK PIRATES', 90TH BOMB GROUP (JOLLY ROGERS), FIFTH AIR FORCE, IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. MEMBER OF JOHN RAFFERTY CREW. HE LEFT PORT MORESBY ON A SINGLE BOMBER RECONNAISSANCE MISSION OVER WEWAK. WHEN THE PLANE WAS RETURNING, THE PILOT ASKED THAT THE FIELD LIGHTS BE LIT AS THEY WERE APPROACHING THE AIRFIELD. THE AIRCRAFT NEVER LANDED AS IT CRASHED INTO A HILL BETWEEN MUMENG VILLAGE AND TSILI TSILI. ALL WERE DECLARED MISSING ON DECEMBER 20, 1942. MISSING AIR CREW REPORT 15388. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.