Bernard Karl Seitzinger

Military
media-52261.jpeg UPL 52261 Bernard Karl Seitzinger

Service Photo of Seitz

Object Number - UPL 52261 - Bernard Karl Seitzinger

Assigned to 65FS, 57FG, 12AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Mt Etna, hit by flak, belly landed, captured, escaped, evaded to return to base. RTD



Assigned to 364FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Belgum in P-51 42-106923 18-Sep-44 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 8791



"In 1943, he was assigned to the 65th Fighter Squadron of the 57th Fighter Group operating out of North Africa. While on a strafing run near Mount Etna, his aircraft was hit by ground fire. He managed to steer the aircraft to a belly-landing, and was unhurt. He was captured by German soldiers, but managed to escape and evaded back to his home base."



"Assigned to the 364th Fighter Squadron of the 357th Fighter Group flying from Leiston Field in England. Here he transitioned from the P-47 aircraft he had flown in North Africa to the P-51 flown by the group. On an escort mission and fighter sweep over Belgium 18-Sep-44, he was shot down after scoring an aerial victory. He bailed out, but was immediately captured and spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft I."



Awards: DFC, AM (2OLC), PH (2OLC), POW, WWII Victory, EAME (4 x Battle Stars), National Defense, Korean and UN medals.





Post war: Continued flying duties for USAF. In early Nov-51, he was promoted to Major and arrived at K-2 Air Base at Taegu, Korea to assume command of the 7th Fighter Bomber Squadron. While flying a combat mission on 27-Nov-51, he was strafing a line of railway boxcars when he was shot down and killed by a MiG -15 flown by the renown Russian ace, Yegeny G. Pepelyayaev.

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 357th Fighter Group

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Halfar Airifield
Aerial photograph of Leiston airfield looking south, the control tower and technical site are to the right, 16 October 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/929. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Theberton/Saxmundham
Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Belgrade, MN 5 November 1914

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 18 September 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I.

Other

Baled out POW

Belgium 18 September 1944 Fighter sweep to Belgium, shot down, baled out POW MACR 8791

Died

West of Chinnampo, North Korea 27 November 1951 27-Nov-51, North Korea

Buried

Honolulu Memorial Honolulu HI Courts of the Missing Honolulu Memorial Honolulu Hawaii

Other

Commissioned

In 1939, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Reserve Component.

Other

Aviation Cadet / Flight training

Entered Aviation Cadet Flight Training, graduated, and was presented pilot's wings and a promotion to 1st Lieutenant.

Other

Flight instructor

Randolph Field, Texas Became a Flight Instructor at Randolph Field, Texas until 1943

Based

Leiston 18 September 1944 Assigned to 364FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF.

Based

Hal Far Assigned to 65FS, 57FG, 12AF USAAF.

Other

Belly landing EVD

Vicinity of Mount Etna Failed to Return (FTR) Mount Etna, hit by flak, belly landed. EVD

Revisions

Date
ContributorSunbeam63
Changes
Sources

Family member of Capt. Seitzinger. Will provide more details soon.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 8791 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Bernard Karl Seitzinger: Gallery (1 items)