Muka John J. Beloved husband of June, Née Peter loving father of Gary, Dean (Sheryl) ,Jeryle (the late Gasper) Grasso, John m (Victoria) and Lori (Larry) Papciak;. Dear grandfather of 12, Gt.,Grandfather of 6.Fond brother of Leon. Visitation at the Cooney Funeral Home 625 Busse hwy Park Ridge Il, from 3to 9pm Monday. Funeral Tuesday 9:15 am to St. James Lutheran church. Service at 10am. Interment Abraham Lincoln. Member of IL Chapter the8th Air Force Historical Society. In lieu of flowers donations to Rainbow Hospice 1550 Bishop Court. Mt. Prospect IL 60056 or St. James Lutheran Church 7400 W. Foster 60656 would be appreciated. (1-847-685-1002)
Charitable donations may be made in John's memory to the following organization:
Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care
1550 Bishop Ct., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
Tel: 847-685-9900
On-line obit from Cooney Funeral Home
From Find A Grave contributor John Dowdy
Gunner S/Sgt. John J. Muka POW
Hometown:
Squadron: 577th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #
Awards: Purple Heart.
Pilot 2nd/Lt. James R. Dodd KIA
Target: DORTMUND Germany
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #11995
Date Lost: 28-Jan-45
Serial Number: #42-95164
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: "P-Plus"
Aircraft Name: "LADY EVE" 26th Mission
Location: Germany
Cause: FLAK Crew of 10 8KIA 2POW
Another lengthy stand-down period had been caused by poor weather, both locally and over the target areas. Thus, a number of welcomed "Alamogordos" were heard by the crews and ground maintenance/ordnance personnel.
On the 28th, weather finally permitted a mission, on the date of the Eighth Air Force's third anniversary. This raid was against the coke oven facilities three and one-half miles northeast of Dortmund. The 2nd Air Division's Intelligence Annex No. 1 for the mission reported that "The MPI [Mean Point of Impact, i.e., target] is the coking plant which is very active in producing benzol for motor fuel.
The marshaling yards at Munster were assigned as the secondary target. Fighters were not encountered but barrage-type AA fire was intense and accurate over the target. At 1203 hours, just after bombs away, Lieutenant Dodd's crew in #164 (P for Peter) was hit by AA fire in the wing and swerved into #868 (X for X-ray) flown by Lieutenant Schuster's crew. The latter bomber lost a wing in this collision and both ships went down in a dive, exploding as they plummeted downward. Only four chutes were seen from the two planes.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: Lt. Pope, Pilot 577th, gave an after-mission account that this aircraft had rolled over into another plane in formation, the ship of Lt. Schuster's, # 42-50868. The direct cause of this tragedy was never stated in any MACR reporting. German Report #KU3666 reported the crash of this ship near the town of Gerbeck around 1230 hours. Eight (8) members were found dead near the scene, and (2) crew men had successfully bailed out and were taken prisoner. Sgt. Muka, one of two including Sgt. Olivas, was wounded and taken to a German hospital. It was note that Sgt. Olivas was transferred to the interrogation center at Dulag-Luft West upon capture. All deceased members were positively identified in this report.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES:
In an article in the February 1992 issue of the 392nd BGMA News, John Muka provided these details: "When the plane went out of control, I remember getting the rear hatch open and then I was blown clear and was free-falling. I pulled the ripcord and the chute opened. The air was very cold and my gauntlets were blown off, and my hands were frostbitten. I landed in deep snow, but was unable to move because of my broken legs. Soon I was surrounded by German civilians, and they dragged me into a nearby town on a pair of skis. I was transported to a hospital, where a German doctor operated on my legs and I woke up in traction. I found out later the hospital was in the Ludensheid area. While in hospital, I sweated out Allied air raids. Although I could hear bombs exploding and machine-gun fire from strafing fighters, the hospital was never hit. On April 14, 1945, I could hear shelling and small arms fire and on the next day an American medic from the 8th Division walked into my room."
In the same article, Mac Olivas said this was his third mission. He was unconscious for about 48 hours after the crash, and then was transported to a prison camp and liberated by American forces on April 29, 1945.
BURIAL RECORDS: Another German Report, Hqs Air Base Command Werl in loss report #19, dated 6 February 1945, indicated that the deceased crewmen were buried in a common grave in the village cemetery at Garbeck on 2 February. U.S. National Overseas Cemetery reports later reflect the re-interment of the following members in the ARDENNES Cemetery, near Liege, Belgium: Fleming (Grave C-2-8); and Hulbert (Grave A-28-11). Both members were awarded the Purple Heart, posthumously. No other re-burial information exists on the remaining members in this file.
The "LADY EVE" crew
2nd/Lt. James R. Dodd Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Carl T. Sholander Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Kenneth V. Fleming Navigator KIA
T/Sgt. Robert R Hartong Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Morris Epstein Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Robert E. Page Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Maclovio Olivas Gunner POW
S/Sgt. John J. Muka Gunner POW
Sgt. Leonard D. Hulbert Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Matthew A. Bartnowski Gunner KIA * Radar Observer
Charitable donations may be made in John's memory to the following organization:
Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care
1550 Bishop Ct., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
Tel: 847-685-9900
On-line obit from Cooney Funeral Home
From Find A Grave contributor John Dowdy
Gunner S/Sgt. John J. Muka POW
Hometown:
Squadron: 577th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #
Awards: Purple Heart.
Pilot 2nd/Lt. James R. Dodd KIA
Target: DORTMUND Germany
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #11995
Date Lost: 28-Jan-45
Serial Number: #42-95164
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: "P-Plus"
Aircraft Name: "LADY EVE" 26th Mission
Location: Germany
Cause: FLAK Crew of 10 8KIA 2POW
Another lengthy stand-down period had been caused by poor weather, both locally and over the target areas. Thus, a number of welcomed "Alamogordos" were heard by the crews and ground maintenance/ordnance personnel.
On the 28th, weather finally permitted a mission, on the date of the Eighth Air Force's third anniversary. This raid was against the coke oven facilities three and one-half miles northeast of Dortmund. The 2nd Air Division's Intelligence Annex No. 1 for the mission reported that "The MPI [Mean Point of Impact, i.e., target] is the coking plant which is very active in producing benzol for motor fuel.
The marshaling yards at Munster were assigned as the secondary target. Fighters were not encountered but barrage-type AA fire was intense and accurate over the target. At 1203 hours, just after bombs away, Lieutenant Dodd's crew in #164 (P for Peter) was hit by AA fire in the wing and swerved into #868 (X for X-ray) flown by Lieutenant Schuster's crew. The latter bomber lost a wing in this collision and both ships went down in a dive, exploding as they plummeted downward. Only four chutes were seen from the two planes.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: Lt. Pope, Pilot 577th, gave an after-mission account that this aircraft had rolled over into another plane in formation, the ship of Lt. Schuster's, # 42-50868. The direct cause of this tragedy was never stated in any MACR reporting. German Report #KU3666 reported the crash of this ship near the town of Gerbeck around 1230 hours. Eight (8) members were found dead near the scene, and (2) crew men had successfully bailed out and were taken prisoner. Sgt. Muka, one of two including Sgt. Olivas, was wounded and taken to a German hospital. It was note that Sgt. Olivas was transferred to the interrogation center at Dulag-Luft West upon capture. All deceased members were positively identified in this report.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES:
In an article in the February 1992 issue of the 392nd BGMA News, John Muka provided these details: "When the plane went out of control, I remember getting the rear hatch open and then I was blown clear and was free-falling. I pulled the ripcord and the chute opened. The air was very cold and my gauntlets were blown off, and my hands were frostbitten. I landed in deep snow, but was unable to move because of my broken legs. Soon I was surrounded by German civilians, and they dragged me into a nearby town on a pair of skis. I was transported to a hospital, where a German doctor operated on my legs and I woke up in traction. I found out later the hospital was in the Ludensheid area. While in hospital, I sweated out Allied air raids. Although I could hear bombs exploding and machine-gun fire from strafing fighters, the hospital was never hit. On April 14, 1945, I could hear shelling and small arms fire and on the next day an American medic from the 8th Division walked into my room."
In the same article, Mac Olivas said this was his third mission. He was unconscious for about 48 hours after the crash, and then was transported to a prison camp and liberated by American forces on April 29, 1945.
BURIAL RECORDS: Another German Report, Hqs Air Base Command Werl in loss report #19, dated 6 February 1945, indicated that the deceased crewmen were buried in a common grave in the village cemetery at Garbeck on 2 February. U.S. National Overseas Cemetery reports later reflect the re-interment of the following members in the ARDENNES Cemetery, near Liege, Belgium: Fleming (Grave C-2-8); and Hulbert (Grave A-28-11). Both members were awarded the Purple Heart, posthumously. No other re-burial information exists on the remaining members in this file.
The "LADY EVE" crew
2nd/Lt. James R. Dodd Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Carl T. Sholander Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Kenneth V. Fleming Navigator KIA
T/Sgt. Robert R Hartong Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Morris Epstein Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Robert E. Page Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Maclovio Olivas Gunner POW
S/Sgt. John J. Muka Gunner POW
Sgt. Leonard D. Hulbert Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Matthew A. Bartnowski Gunner KIA * Radar Observer
Muka John J. Beloved husband of June, Née Peter loving father of Gary, Dean (Sheryl) ,Jeryle (the late Gasper) Grasso, John m (Victoria) and Lori (Larry) Papciak;. Dear grandfather of 12, Gt.,Grandfather of 6.Fond brother of Leon. Visitation at the Cooney Funeral Home 625 Busse hwy Park Ridge Il, from 3to 9pm Monday. Funeral Tuesday 9:15 am to St. James Lutheran church. Service at 10am. Interment Abraham Lincoln. Member of IL Chapter the8th Air Force Historical Society. In lieu of flowers donations to Rainbow Hospice 1550 Bishop Court. Mt. Prospect IL 60056 or St. James Lutheran Church 7400 W. Foster 60656 would be appreciated. (1-847-685-1002)
Charitable donations may be made in John's memory to the following organization:
Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care
1550 Bishop Ct., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
Tel: 847-685-9900
On-line obit from Cooney Funeral Home
From Find A Grave contributor John Dowdy
Gunner S/Sgt. John J. Muka POW
Hometown:
Squadron: 577th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #
Awards: Purple Heart.
Pilot 2nd/Lt. James R. Dodd KIA
Target: DORTMUND Germany
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #11995
Date Lost: 28-Jan-45
Serial Number: #42-95164
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: "P-Plus"
Aircraft Name: "LADY EVE" 26th Mission
Location: Germany
Cause: FLAK Crew of 10 8KIA 2POW
Another lengthy stand-down period had been caused by poor weather, both locally and over the target areas. Thus, a number of welcomed "Alamogordos" were heard by the crews and ground maintenance/ordnance personnel.
On the 28th, weather finally permitted a mission, on the date of the Eighth Air Force's third anniversary. This raid was against the coke oven facilities three and one-half miles northeast of Dortmund. The 2nd Air Division's Intelligence Annex No. 1 for the mission reported that "The MPI [Mean Point of Impact, i.e., target] is the coking plant which is very active in producing benzol for motor fuel.
The marshaling yards at Munster were assigned as the secondary target. Fighters were not encountered but barrage-type AA fire was intense and accurate over the target. At 1203 hours, just after bombs away, Lieutenant Dodd's crew in #164 (P for Peter) was hit by AA fire in the wing and swerved into #868 (X for X-ray) flown by Lieutenant Schuster's crew. The latter bomber lost a wing in this collision and both ships went down in a dive, exploding as they plummeted downward. Only four chutes were seen from the two planes.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: Lt. Pope, Pilot 577th, gave an after-mission account that this aircraft had rolled over into another plane in formation, the ship of Lt. Schuster's, # 42-50868. The direct cause of this tragedy was never stated in any MACR reporting. German Report #KU3666 reported the crash of this ship near the town of Gerbeck around 1230 hours. Eight (8) members were found dead near the scene, and (2) crew men had successfully bailed out and were taken prisoner. Sgt. Muka, one of two including Sgt. Olivas, was wounded and taken to a German hospital. It was note that Sgt. Olivas was transferred to the interrogation center at Dulag-Luft West upon capture. All deceased members were positively identified in this report.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES:
In an article in the February 1992 issue of the 392nd BGMA News, John Muka provided these details: "When the plane went out of control, I remember getting the rear hatch open and then I was blown clear and was free-falling. I pulled the ripcord and the chute opened. The air was very cold and my gauntlets were blown off, and my hands were frostbitten. I landed in deep snow, but was unable to move because of my broken legs. Soon I was surrounded by German civilians, and they dragged me into a nearby town on a pair of skis. I was transported to a hospital, where a German doctor operated on my legs and I woke up in traction. I found out later the hospital was in the Ludensheid area. While in hospital, I sweated out Allied air raids. Although I could hear bombs exploding and machine-gun fire from strafing fighters, the hospital was never hit. On April 14, 1945, I could hear shelling and small arms fire and on the next day an American medic from the 8th Division walked into my room."
In the same article, Mac Olivas said this was his third mission. He was unconscious for about 48 hours after the crash, and then was transported to a prison camp and liberated by American forces on April 29, 1945.
BURIAL RECORDS: Another German Report, Hqs Air Base Command Werl in loss report #19, dated 6 February 1945, indicated that the deceased crewmen were buried in a common grave in the village cemetery at Garbeck on 2 February. U.S. National Overseas Cemetery reports later reflect the re-interment of the following members in the ARDENNES Cemetery, near Liege, Belgium: Fleming (Grave C-2-8); and Hulbert (Grave A-28-11). Both members were awarded the Purple Heart, posthumously. No other re-burial information exists on the remaining members in this file.
The "LADY EVE" crew
2nd/Lt. James R. Dodd Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Carl T. Sholander Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Kenneth V. Fleming Navigator KIA
T/Sgt. Robert R Hartong Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Morris Epstein Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Robert E. Page Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Maclovio Olivas Gunner POW
S/Sgt. John J. Muka Gunner POW
Sgt. Leonard D. Hulbert Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Matthew A. Bartnowski Gunner KIA * Radar Observer
Charitable donations may be made in John's memory to the following organization:
Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care
1550 Bishop Ct., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
Tel: 847-685-9900
On-line obit from Cooney Funeral Home
From Find A Grave contributor John Dowdy
Gunner S/Sgt. John J. Muka POW
Hometown:
Squadron: 577th BS 392th Bomb Group
Service #
Awards: Purple Heart.
Pilot 2nd/Lt. James R. Dodd KIA
Target: DORTMUND Germany
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #11995
Date Lost: 28-Jan-45
Serial Number: #42-95164
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: "P-Plus"
Aircraft Name: "LADY EVE" 26th Mission
Location: Germany
Cause: FLAK Crew of 10 8KIA 2POW
Another lengthy stand-down period had been caused by poor weather, both locally and over the target areas. Thus, a number of welcomed "Alamogordos" were heard by the crews and ground maintenance/ordnance personnel.
On the 28th, weather finally permitted a mission, on the date of the Eighth Air Force's third anniversary. This raid was against the coke oven facilities three and one-half miles northeast of Dortmund. The 2nd Air Division's Intelligence Annex No. 1 for the mission reported that "The MPI [Mean Point of Impact, i.e., target] is the coking plant which is very active in producing benzol for motor fuel.
The marshaling yards at Munster were assigned as the secondary target. Fighters were not encountered but barrage-type AA fire was intense and accurate over the target. At 1203 hours, just after bombs away, Lieutenant Dodd's crew in #164 (P for Peter) was hit by AA fire in the wing and swerved into #868 (X for X-ray) flown by Lieutenant Schuster's crew. The latter bomber lost a wing in this collision and both ships went down in a dive, exploding as they plummeted downward. Only four chutes were seen from the two planes.
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: Lt. Pope, Pilot 577th, gave an after-mission account that this aircraft had rolled over into another plane in formation, the ship of Lt. Schuster's, # 42-50868. The direct cause of this tragedy was never stated in any MACR reporting. German Report #KU3666 reported the crash of this ship near the town of Gerbeck around 1230 hours. Eight (8) members were found dead near the scene, and (2) crew men had successfully bailed out and were taken prisoner. Sgt. Muka, one of two including Sgt. Olivas, was wounded and taken to a German hospital. It was note that Sgt. Olivas was transferred to the interrogation center at Dulag-Luft West upon capture. All deceased members were positively identified in this report.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES:
In an article in the February 1992 issue of the 392nd BGMA News, John Muka provided these details: "When the plane went out of control, I remember getting the rear hatch open and then I was blown clear and was free-falling. I pulled the ripcord and the chute opened. The air was very cold and my gauntlets were blown off, and my hands were frostbitten. I landed in deep snow, but was unable to move because of my broken legs. Soon I was surrounded by German civilians, and they dragged me into a nearby town on a pair of skis. I was transported to a hospital, where a German doctor operated on my legs and I woke up in traction. I found out later the hospital was in the Ludensheid area. While in hospital, I sweated out Allied air raids. Although I could hear bombs exploding and machine-gun fire from strafing fighters, the hospital was never hit. On April 14, 1945, I could hear shelling and small arms fire and on the next day an American medic from the 8th Division walked into my room."
In the same article, Mac Olivas said this was his third mission. He was unconscious for about 48 hours after the crash, and then was transported to a prison camp and liberated by American forces on April 29, 1945.
BURIAL RECORDS: Another German Report, Hqs Air Base Command Werl in loss report #19, dated 6 February 1945, indicated that the deceased crewmen were buried in a common grave in the village cemetery at Garbeck on 2 February. U.S. National Overseas Cemetery reports later reflect the re-interment of the following members in the ARDENNES Cemetery, near Liege, Belgium: Fleming (Grave C-2-8); and Hulbert (Grave A-28-11). Both members were awarded the Purple Heart, posthumously. No other re-burial information exists on the remaining members in this file.
The "LADY EVE" crew
2nd/Lt. James R. Dodd Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Carl T. Sholander Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Kenneth V. Fleming Navigator KIA
T/Sgt. Robert R Hartong Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Morris Epstein Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Robert E. Page Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Maclovio Olivas Gunner POW
S/Sgt. John J. Muka Gunner POW
Sgt. Leonard D. Hulbert Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Matthew A. Bartnowski Gunner KIA * Radar Observer
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