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Military
Joseph P. Kutger, right rear, age 24. 1941
Assigned to 783BS, 465BG, 15AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) from raid on Oil refinery in Blechhammer, Germany. When B-24 42-28853 lost a wing over the target he was grabbing his chute when he was blown out of the aircraft, able to attach it to his harness as he fell he survived to be captured. 20-Nov-44. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 9889.
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Post war: Remained in USAF, rising to the rank of Colonel. From 1946 to 1948 served at Hickham Air Force Base, Hawaii. From 1952 to 1956 served in Philippines flying reconnaissance missions with the French over Vietnam. From 1966 to 1972 (after retirement from the Air Force) served with USAID, mostly with Hmong and other mountain dwelling people to convince them to support U.S. troops.
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Squadron Commander - Command Pilot | 465th Bomb Group
Clarence Jack Lokker has answered that last call, and now stands on the “Plains of Valhalla” with others of that “long gray line” who await us all.
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The Fifteenth Air Force was one of two Strategic Air forces in Europe, along with the Eighth Air Force.
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Group
It was constituted as the 465th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943
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Squadron
B-24 Liberator
Other location
Military site : airfield
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | New York, New York | 26 May 1917 |
| Lived in | Morrisville, PA 19067, USA | 1941 |
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Husband of Lelia R Kutger. |
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| Based | Pantanella | 1943 – 20 November 1944 |
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Assigned to 783BS, 465BG, 15AF USAAF. |
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| Shot down / baled out | Blechhammer, 92439 Bodenwöhr, Germany | 20 November 1944 |
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Failed to Return (FTR) from raid on Oil refinery in Blechhammer, Germany. When B-24 42-28853 lost a wing over the target he was grabbing his chute when he was blown out of the aircraft, able to attach it to his harness as he fell he survived to be captured. 20-Nov-44. POW. MACR 9889. |
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| Prisoner of War (POW) | Zagan, Poland | 20 November 1944 – May 1945 |
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Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III. |
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| Died | Tulare, CA | 19 October 1989 |
| Buried | November 1989 | |
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Arlington National Cemetery |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 25 September 2017 19:34:05 | SeaCure | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
This photo is one of a collection I have of my father's military career. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 September 2017 21:25:10 | SeaCure | Changes to nickname and biography |
| Sources | ||
I have edited some locations in the personal information section and some post-war career information in the biography section. I am Colonel Kutger's daughter. There is a fairly detailed story about the crew of my dad's plane being shot down posted on the internet. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 December 2016 13:11:26 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nationality, service number, highest rank, role, biography, events, person associations, unit associations, place associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbmsn.asp?SN=41-28853&Submit6=Go |
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