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Sergeant Harry J. Szalanski was born in East Vandergrift in 1923. On February 21, 1943 Harry enlisted in the United States Army Air Force in Greensburg, PA. After he enlisted he received his service number, 33430131. Sergeant Szalanski was a single man, with no kids, leaving a job working with the mechanical treatment of metals behind him to go fight for his country overseas. While overseas Sergeant Szalanski served in the 5th Army Air Force as cannoneer on a B-25H bomber, #43-4332, fighting in the 498th Bomb Squadron and 345th Bomb Group. On August 1, 1944 the 498th Bomb Squadron and 345th Bomb Group took off from the Mokmer Airfield on Biak. They were one of four B-25s that took off on an assigned armed recon mission searching for enemy shipping; this mission was assigned on April 11, 1944. On the day of the mission weather conditions and visibility were good. Flying over the target, they found a larger lugger and attacked it with bombs and 75mm cannon fire. While attempting to make a second pass to sink the lugger, the plane flew too low, hit a palm tree with the left wing, the outer panel of the wing fell off, and the plane crashed nose first into sea off the Kaboe Island (Pulau Yefkabu) in the Radja Ampat Islands. There were no survivors from the crash and the airmen were declared M.I.A. After the crash Lt. E. L. Cranford, pilot on another airplane in the formation, circled the wreck for a few minutes, and reported the plane as totally destroyed with no survivors. The crash and place of death for these men has the coordinates of 130° 30' E, 1° 30' S, on Kaboe Island, NE of Misool Island of the Radja Ampat Group, Philippines. Sergeant Harry J. Szalanski died August 1, 1944 at the young age of 21. Alongside him that day were, Radio Operator Staff Sergeant Jack G. Flintom, Engineer Sergeant Howard W. Johnson, Pilot 2nd Lieutenant John Miller, Gunner Sergeant James F. Rodgers, and Bombardier 2nd Lieutenant Stanley C. Stickler. Harry’s current status is M.I.A./ K.I.A. His name is on Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines. Sergeant Harry J. Szalanski was awarded the Air Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the Purple Heart for his efforts in fighting during World War II.
Sergeant Harry J. Szalanski was born in East Vandergrift in 1923. On February 21, 1943 Harry enlisted in the United States Army Air Force in Greensburg, PA. After he enlisted he received his service number, 33430131. Sergeant Szalanski was a single man, with no kids, leaving a job working with the mechanical treatment of metals behind him to go fight for his country overseas. While overseas Sergeant Szalanski served in the 5th Army Air Force as cannoneer on a B-25H bomber, #43-4332, fighting in the 498th Bomb Squadron and 345th Bomb Group. On August 1, 1944 the 498th Bomb Squadron and 345th Bomb Group took off from the Mokmer Airfield on Biak. They were one of four B-25s that took off on an assigned armed recon mission searching for enemy shipping; this mission was assigned on April 11, 1944. On the day of the mission weather conditions and visibility were good. Flying over the target, they found a larger lugger and attacked it with bombs and 75mm cannon fire. While attempting to make a second pass to sink the lugger, the plane flew too low, hit a palm tree with the left wing, the outer panel of the wing fell off, and the plane crashed nose first into sea off the Kaboe Island (Pulau Yefkabu) in the Radja Ampat Islands. There were no survivors from the crash and the airmen were declared M.I.A. After the crash Lt. E. L. Cranford, pilot on another airplane in the formation, circled the wreck for a few minutes, and reported the plane as totally destroyed with no survivors. The crash and place of death for these men has the coordinates of 130° 30' E, 1° 30' S, on Kaboe Island, NE of Misool Island of the Radja Ampat Group, Philippines. Sergeant Harry J. Szalanski died August 1, 1944 at the young age of 21. Alongside him that day were, Radio Operator Staff Sergeant Jack G. Flintom, Engineer Sergeant Howard W. Johnson, Pilot 2nd Lieutenant John Miller, Gunner Sergeant James F. Rodgers, and Bombardier 2nd Lieutenant Stanley C. Stickler. Harry’s current status is M.I.A./ K.I.A. His name is on Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines. Sergeant Harry J. Szalanski was awarded the Air Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the Purple Heart for his efforts in fighting during World War II.
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