Bernard Karl Seitzinger
MilitaryService Photo of Seitz
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Twelfth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
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
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Theberton/Saxmundham
- 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
https://www.fold3.com/record/530045934/bernard-karl-seitzinger-american…
https://www.fold3.com/record/717707562/seitzinger-bernard-karl-defense-…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157605984/bernard-k-seitzinger
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181025600/bernard-karl-seitzinger
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/119114400/bernard-karl-seitzinger
Family member of Capt. Seitzinger. Will provide more details soon.
MACR 8791 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database