World War II Honoree

Donald N. Pollock

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Seattle, Washington

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS A UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS P-38 ‘LIGHTNING’ FIGHTER PILOT, WHO EXPERIENCED COMBAT IN THE EUROPEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN THEATERS OF OPERATIONS. SERVED WITH THE 95TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 82ND FIGHTER GROUP, U.S. 15TH ARMY AIR FORCE. ON NOVEMBER 18, 1943 HIS FIGHTER CRASHED AT AN AIRFIELD LOCATED AT LECCE-GALATINA, ITALY, HE DIED OF INJURIES ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19 AND WAS BURIED IN A LOCAL CEMETERY. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS COUNTRY AND FAMILY, WITH INTERMENT IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON VIRGINIA. HE IS ALSO MEMORIALIZED ON HIS PARENTS’ GRAVESTONE AT THE ELMWOOD CEMETERY IN LORAIN, OHIO. DECORATION AND CITATION: PURPLE HEART. THIS AMERICAN PATRIOT WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY, WHO SO GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY.