Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (racerlee)

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 03:12:27 GMT

John, thank you for noticing the mistake I have changed the dates to what should be correct.

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (Yunch)

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:05:46 GMT

Lee,
You state the MIA in April and the death in May 46. Am I interpreting the info wrong or are you confusing FOD with the actual time of death, which would have been in April 45. The FOD is the "Finding Of Death" issued to the next of kin by the military, approxamately one year after MIA.

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (OB)

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:04:37 GMT

I am sorry for the late reply, my uncle is Jack Timpanaro, sadly he passed almost a year ago. I have done numerous searchers for crew members and this is the first hit i have had in awhile; susank, and racerlee if you guys have any old pictures, or info on that crew i would greatly appreciate it. Thank You

Steven "OB" O'Brien

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (Carole)

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:28:50 GMT

My uncle is the Carl Kouse you are looking for. He is living in a Veteran's Home at age 94. I have been so interested to read your posts since we children were never told the stories of what happened to our family members overseas. I have copies of two newspaper articles from the Springfield (Ohio) News and Sun of interviews done with my uncle.

The most interesting story of course, to me, tells how my Uncle Carl stayed behind when the prisoners were liberated by Patton, looking for my father, John (Jack) Kouse among the dead on the battlefield. Carl did not know that my father had just been taken to a hospital in Paris with a broken leg.

I am so very proud of both of them and of all my uncles who went to war. My mother was a "Rosie Riveter", working at the International Harvester plant in Springfield, Ohio. Our entire family rallied to the war effort. I can't imagine the stress they all went through.

Thank you for your posts, and thanks too for your families' service.

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (racerlee)

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:16:59 GMT

Susan,

I want to thank you very much on your time and information you have done for me and my research.

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (susank)

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:49:58 GMT

Hi Lee -
Based on the following link: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_purpleheart_eligibility_100608w/
from which I copy:
"Service members who die in captivity as a “qualifying prisoner of war” died as the “result of enemy action,” the result of wounds incurred “in action with the enemy” or as a result of wounds incurred as a “result of enemy action” during capture, unless there is compelling evidence to the contrary.

The policy revision, “reflects the feeling that the conditions and circumstances of capture and captivity are difficult to document and that for those service members who die in captivity, the department should presume enemy action."

Each military department will publish application procedures... Family members with questions can contact the services. Army: Military Awards Branch, (703) 325-8700; Air Force: Air Force Personnel Center, (800) 616-3775.

I'd say YES. And you have Colonel Leiby's account to back it up.

Susan

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (racerlee)

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:11:50 GMT

I also had another question about his death. I have a document that states he was reported missing in action 30 April 1945 in Germany. Death is presumed to have occurred on 1 May 1946. So my question is would he have been reported Killed In Action since he death had occurred after the war? Also would he have recieved the purple heart for this?

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (susank)

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:41:39 GMT

Lee -
I found out that one of the crew members, Jack Timpanaro, died just a month ago! I will send you a private message.

Susan

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (racerlee)

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:10:59 GMT

Susan,

Yes, It was a troubling time for my family, but I wasn't born yet, and thats why I'm searching for info on my family past. The balloon bomb site is on Gearhart mountain near Bly, Oregon and it is called Mitchell Monument. I have pictures of it but not on the computer, but will try to find a scanner to try to put them on later. I visit the site at least once a year since I hunt and camp near there. The names on the monument are Elsie Mitchell age 26, Dick Patzke 14, Jay Gifford 13, Edward Engen 13, Joan Patzke 13, Sherman Shoemaker 11.

On the information you have on my great uncle Jack or Stalag Luft 3 I would appreciate it if you could send it to me. I've had no luck on finding any of his crew members. The only one I found was on a B-17 restoration project website and had a 2008 picture of Carl Kouse the tail gunner. I contacted the company, but they had no contact information on him. Thank you for confirming on which compound he was in and the info on barracks # and room. I didn't have that info.

Thanks Lee McGinnis

Oh by the way the pic on the left I use is my great uncle T/SGT. Jack D. Patzke.

Re:Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (susank)

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 11:40:31 GMT

My word, Lee -

I read Col. Leiby's account of your great-uncle and then read further that your great-uncle's youngest brother and sister (the Col. was half right) were two of the only 6 civilians who were killed on U.S. soil during WWII when they found or were in the vicinity of a Japanese balloon bomb that landed in Southern Oregon! They died on May 5, 1945 - 4 days after their brother! What heartache for your family!

According to rosters of the West Compound of Stalag Luft III, Jack and Joseph were in barracks 62, room 2, along with Martin, Timpanero and Lueras. Kouse, Michael, Leiby, Moore, Klein and H.W. Symonds were also listed at Stalag Luft III in other barracks.

I can send you a bit more info if you are interested. Perhaps another roommate might have a story or two for you.
Susan

Looking for info on Jack D. Patzke at Stalag Luft 3 and march to Moosberg (racerlee)

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 23:35:44 GMT

Hi,

     My great uncle T/SGT. Jack D. Patzke was shot down with crew on April 30, 44. In early May 44 arrived at Stalag Luft 3, I think he stayed in the west compound. On the forced march, just after leaving Nuremberg, Germany, on April 5, 45 Jack and S/Sgt. Joseph F. McGettigan left the column. They were last seen near Berching, Germany. They ended up becoming MIA on April 30, 45 and later death is presumed to have occured on May 1, 46. The remains of my great uncle by official report were originally buried in an isolated grave located in the vicinity of Ettenstadt, Germany, then moved to France, then stateside.

     I have a copy of an interview done in March 13, 2003 by the Riverside Veteran's History Project. Interviewing Frederick Leiby retired Colonel USAF, he was 2nd LT. and navigator of the crew that my great uncle Jack was with while at Stalag Luft3 and on the forced march. He stated in the interview that Jack and Joseph McGettigan with an american fighter pilot left the column. They arrived to a river and thought that the americans were on the other side, so Jack and SGT. McGettigan swam across the river, but when they got to the other side a german soldier shot them. The fighter pilot couldn't swim so later he found away across later. Mr. Leiby also stated at a POW reunion that he had met a couple of guys that were in the bushes that same night and they saw Jack and Joseph McGettigan get killed.

     I'm just wondering if anybody as information on any of this or heard word of it before, just trying to clarify on it. Or anybody that knew my great uncle while in the POW camp.

     Thank you, Lee McGinnis