Ralph Jerome Mezydlo

Military

Assigned to 615BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 11 x missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Kassel in B-17 42-31069 'Little Moe' 28-Sep-44; crashed near Helmstedt Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 9415





Awards: AM, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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Units served with

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19137136 / O-760593
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Little moe
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
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

Milwaukee, WI 15 May 1916 Son of John Chester and Agnes [Klempka] Mezydlo.

Enlisted

26 April 1943

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 28 September 1944 - 1 May 1945 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I.

Other

Discharged USAAF

19 December 1945 Honourable discharge.

Died

Fond du Lac, WI 29 October 2002

Based

Deenethorpe 28 September 1944 Assigned to 615BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF.

Buried

Saint Adalberts Cemetery Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, WI Saint Adalberts Cemetery Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin