World War II Honoree

Victor N. Cerny

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Osceola, Nebraska

Honored By

Ann Passmore

Relationship

Daughter

Entered the Army in September 1942 and served to December 1945. A Sergeant in the 34th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron. Attended basic training in Louisville, Kentucky and signed up to be an aircraft mechanic. Transferred to California to wait for an opening. Joined the photo lab to learn how to process aerial photos. At Camp Kilmer, New Jersey he boarded a ship headed for Europe. Unit won a trip to England. The ship was the Queen Mary which landed in Scotland. Then traveled by train to England to prepare for the D-Day Invasion. Shipped off to Omaha Beach one week after the invasion took place. Attached to Patton's 3rd Army. The Army would pick out targets for bombing and then send photo planes to take pictures of the targets. On a 338 plane taking pictures. After the bombers had dropped the bombs, he would take photos of the destruction to assure officials the mission had been accomplished. The planes didn't have much protection. They were built to be lighter and faster to avoid dogfights with enemy fighters. Flew at an altitude of 30,000 feet to avoid being shot down. Working on the ground in Nancy, France about 40 miles south of where the Battle of the Bulge was taking place. He had to dig foxholes whenever stopped. With the ground being frozen it was impossible to dig and provide cover. When the war ended he was sent into Germany to wait for orders to go home. Later boarded a ship leaving from Belgium and arrived in New York. Discharged 12-5-45.