World War II Honoree

Francis J. Piotrowski

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY JULY 7, 1941 AT KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN. COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT AFTER HIS GRADUATION FROM THE FIELD ARTILLERY OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL ‘OCS’, WITH THE CLASS OF 37-42, FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA. SERVED AS A PILOT OF A STINSON L-4A ‘GRASSHOPPER’, A LIGHT OBSERVATION AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED TO THE 121ST FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, 32ND INFANTRY ‘RED ARROW’ DIVISION STATIONED AT SAIDOR, PAPUA, NEW GUINEA SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ON FEBRUARY 7, 1944, HE TOOK-OFF FROM SAIDOR ON A RECONNAISSANCE MISSION, ALONG WITH THE COMMANDER OF THE 121ST FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, WHO WAS OBSERVING AND DIRECTING ARTILLERY FIRE ON JAPANESE TROOPS. WHILE LOW ON FUEL AND OUT OF RADIO COMMUNICATION RANGE, THE L-4A WAS SEEN APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SAIDOR FLYING UP THE YAUT VALLEY AND THEN DISAPPEARED FROM SIGHT AROUND A RANGE OF HILLS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KEPOIAK. IT WAS PRESUMED THAT HE AND THE COMMANDER HAD BEEN KILLED IN ACTION BY ENEMY GROUND FIRE, AND AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH OF THE AREA YIELDED NO TRACE OF THE TWO MEN OR AIRCRAFT. HE WAS REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1945 AND WAS MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ON JUNE 28, 1998 THE REMAINS OF BOTH MEN, ALONG WITH THE WRECKAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE FOUND BY AN AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN. AFTER POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION, THEIR REMAINS WERE EVENTUALLY RETURNED TO THEIR COUNTRY AND FAMILY. HE WAS LAID TO REST WITH THE COMMANDER IN A COMMON GRAVE, WITH INTERMENT OCTOBER 30, 2001 IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS. HE WAS LATER REUNITED WITH HIS FAMILY AT A SPECIAL SERVICE AT MOUNT OLIVET CEMETERY IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: RECIPIENT OF THE AIR MEDAL AND PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY. THE AIR MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.