Lt Frank A Fazekas, 36th FG

[RSwank]

I don't think that the recovery of Lt Frank Fazekas has been discussed before. He was from the 36th FG, 22nd FS. (MACR 9835).

http://host.madison.com/news/local/a...5b1d82f65.html

http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Rec...d-for-fazekas/


https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.c...-fazekas-frank

A long but interesting video about the recovery:
http://video.wpt.org/video/3004118411/

[25Kingman49]

Thank you, Rolland.

Outstanding aviation archaeology video of this MIA recovery by the University of Wisconsin-Madison with some aid by DPAA; with much help from the French government and people at many levels!

Regarding 1st Lt Frank "A" Fazekas, am having difficulty confirming the middle initial, might be (NMI)

Original NARA enlistment (NMI) here:

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...g=1&rid=516773

Crash site co-ordinates approximate: 50°48'58.43"N, 2°19'46.92"E, digital 50.816231, 2.329700

Fazekas family history is most difficult to track even with ancestry.com, did find one "new" photo. Seems I've inherited Fazekas' F-A-G memorial, added what was found including HS photo here:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...-fazekas/photo

Lt Fazekas, ASN: O-798211 did graduate from advances flight training at Craig Field, Selma, Alabama in mid-1943. Not able to find his class number.

Sadly MACR 9835 on fold3 is missing the primary page, the other 6 pages start here:

https://www.fold3.com/image/139111975

Fuselage code for his Thunderbolt P-47D-11-RE-42-75253 also not found other than the partial 3T✪?

http://p-47.database.pagesperso-oran...e/42-7xxxx.htm

This link offers I think a good representation of the awards to his credit

https://airforce.togetherweserved.co...rson&ID=232100

The Baugher loss account is here, search 75253

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_4.html

This seems to attribute this loss to Nazi AAA as does the German report J-1248. However the witness statement by 2nd Lt Charles H Nott makes no note of earlier flak encounter or damage. The "flight" was flying along in formation at 10,000 ft when Lt Fazekas simply dropped out of formation, spun to the earth, crashed and burned.

Maybe I've missed something here in the minimal reports but this sounds a bit like hypoxia where something might have gone wrong with Lt Fazekas' oxygen supply system, causing him to lose consciousness and control of the plane.

Good to have another MIA found and coming home!

[Alex Smart]

Thank you ScottM for bringing this to our attention.
It is again welcome news that yet another has finally been returned .
Alex

[25Kingman49]

Thank you, Alex.

The credit for discovering and sharing this story goes to Rolland. My minor contribution was merely following his lead.