FTO William Eugene Kern
Born: 24 January 1921 – Chicago, Illinois
Parents: William & Jeanette Kern
Siblings: 3 sisters
Home:
– 1513 South Mango Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois
Education:
– Saint Bernadine School
– Proviso Township High School
– Class of 1939
– Illinois Institute of Technology
– left school after two years to enlist
Enlisted:
– U.S. Army Air Corps
– 5 January 1942 – Chicago, Illinois
Serial Number: T-00086
Training:
– Fort Morgan, Alabama
– Fort Sumner, New Mexico
– Victorville Air Field, California
Unit: 79th Transport Squadron, 436th Troop Carrier Group
– flew C-47
Engagements:
– Invasion of Sicily
– Invasion of Italy
– Invasion of France
– D-Day – 82nd Airborne
– Invasion of Southern France
– towed gliders and dropped paratroopers – 15 August 1944
– Dropped supplies to troops in Southern Italy also on 15 August 1944
Killed in Action:
– 15 August 1944
– plane shot down – Capraia Island, Italy
Missing in Action:
– remains were not recovered
Memorial:
– Sicily Rome American Military Cemetery – Nettuno, Italy
– name is on a wall of the chapel
Memorial:
– Arlington National Cemetery – Arlington, Virginia
– Memorial Section C
Medals:
– Purple Heart
