Flachsbarth, Ens. Harry R.

Flachsbarth

Ens. Harry Rudolph Flachsbarth 
Born: 10 April 1918 – Proviso Township, Illinois 
Parents: Harry E. Flachsbarth & Lydia Rudolph-Flachsbarth 
Siblings: 1 sister 
Nickname: “Rudy” 
Hometown: 
– lived in Oak Park, Illinois in the early 1930s
– 7653 West Monroe Street, Forest Park, Illinois 
Education: 
– Garfield Grade School, Maywood, Illinois 
– Proviso Township High School 
– Graduating Class: 1936 
– Carthage College – Carthage, Illinois 
– Class of 1940 
Wife: Edith Blanche-Flachsbarth 
– Married: 5 April 1942 – Corpus Christi, Texas 
Enlisted: 
– United States Naval Reserve 
Inducted: 
– August 1940 
Training:  
– Naval Air Station – Pensacola, Florida 
September 1940 
– received his wings 
– commissioned an Ensign 
– Corpus Christi, Texas 
– Anacostia Naval Air Station, Washington D.C. 
– Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Florida 
– Miami Naval Air Station, Florida 
– Glenview Naval Air Station, Illinois 
– spent two years as PBY flight instructor 
Carrier: U.S.S. Shangri-La 
Engagements: 
– Invasion of Saipan 
– Battle of Philippine Sea 
Killed in Action: 
– 21 June 1944 
– took off as part of a routine night patrol from Saipan Harbor, Saipan Island, Marianas Islands 
– left formation to look at a suspicious ship  
– a destroyer sent out to look for his plane found wreckage from the type of plane he flew 
– shot down by anti-aircraft fire by an American ship 
– Missing in Action – July 1944
Declared Dead: 
– 22 June 1945 
Memorial: 
– Memorial Courts of the Missing – National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific – Honolulu, Hawaii 
Medals: 
– Two Bronze Stars 
– Purple Heart 

 

 

Flachsbarth TM

Leave a Reply