Steve (Christened Stephan) Pouchak was the fifth child of Tekla and Harry Pouchak Sr., known for being a soft spoken fellow that had a wonderful positive disposition, never negative or complaining in nature. He, as his brothers had in other areas, developed skills in woodworking including carving and painting several battleships from wood with accurate detail. As a boy he enjoyed being in nature including hunting and trapping. There are several remaining pictures of him enjoying skiing and snowshoeing with his brothers.
During WW II, Steve was the first son to enter the service on April 29th 1942 at Ft Snelling, MN. He was Private rank in the US Coastal Artillery, Battalion C 210th CAC - assigned to an anti-aircraft unit. After basic training in Seattle, WA, he was stationed to Fort Glenn AAB at the Aleutian Islands on the Island of Adak, Alaska, for the defense of the airfield.
On February 13th, 1943, a USAAF B-25 Mitchell bomber was limping back to base on one engine after being hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire during a mission against the enemy on the Island of Kiska. The airplane's remaining engine quit upon final approach for landing. The pilots were able to restart it, however this critical event caused the airplane to slow to near stall speed losing its normal flight control and which forced a uncontrolled landing.
Steve stationed in the airfield's radio shack/defense bunker dug out, was caught at the bunker's doorway during the B-25's crash landing. Timing forced Steve to run back into the enclosure to take cover where fellow servicemen and just enough time to flee the bunker with short notice of the failing approach. The bomber crashed off runway into the defense bunker, collapsing the enclosure upon Steve. He was quickly dug out by his fellow servicemen, however it was surmised that either the planes landing gear wheel or propeller caused him a severe head injury, where he survived about 45 minutes post accident. Steve did receive the "last rites" prayer by the airfield's Catholic priest.
Most of the B-25's aircrew was severely burned by the fire after the crash but did all survived.
Due to Steve's popularity,special permission was requested and obtained by the island's commanding officer to allow a larger than normally permitted assembly of the servicemen to attend his funeral and burial. This information was sourced from Steve's commanding office's letter sent to his parents.
Steve was interned on Adak's military cemetery and later was sent home to Chisholm for reburial post war. He was 22 years old at the time.
During WW II, Steve was the first son to enter the service on April 29th 1942 at Ft Snelling, MN. He was Private rank in the US Coastal Artillery, Battalion C 210th CAC - assigned to an anti-aircraft unit. After basic training in Seattle, WA, he was stationed to Fort Glenn AAB at the Aleutian Islands on the Island of Adak, Alaska, for the defense of the airfield.
On February 13th, 1943, a USAAF B-25 Mitchell bomber was limping back to base on one engine after being hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire during a mission against the enemy on the Island of Kiska. The airplane's remaining engine quit upon final approach for landing. The pilots were able to restart it, however this critical event caused the airplane to slow to near stall speed losing its normal flight control and which forced a uncontrolled landing.
Steve stationed in the airfield's radio shack/defense bunker dug out, was caught at the bunker's doorway during the B-25's crash landing. Timing forced Steve to run back into the enclosure to take cover where fellow servicemen and just enough time to flee the bunker with short notice of the failing approach. The bomber crashed off runway into the defense bunker, collapsing the enclosure upon Steve. He was quickly dug out by his fellow servicemen, however it was surmised that either the planes landing gear wheel or propeller caused him a severe head injury, where he survived about 45 minutes post accident. Steve did receive the "last rites" prayer by the airfield's Catholic priest.
Most of the B-25's aircrew was severely burned by the fire after the crash but did all survived.
Due to Steve's popularity,special permission was requested and obtained by the island's commanding officer to allow a larger than normally permitted assembly of the servicemen to attend his funeral and burial. This information was sourced from Steve's commanding office's letter sent to his parents.
Steve was interned on Adak's military cemetery and later was sent home to Chisholm for reburial post war. He was 22 years old at the time.
Steve (Christened Stephan) Pouchak was the fifth child of Tekla and Harry Pouchak Sr., known for being a soft spoken fellow that had a wonderful positive disposition, never negative or complaining in nature. He, as his brothers had in other areas, developed skills in woodworking including carving and painting several battleships from wood with accurate detail. As a boy he enjoyed being in nature including hunting and trapping. There are several remaining pictures of him enjoying skiing and snowshoeing with his brothers.
During WW II, Steve was the first son to enter the service on April 29th 1942 at Ft Snelling, MN. He was Private rank in the US Coastal Artillery, Battalion C 210th CAC - assigned to an anti-aircraft unit. After basic training in Seattle, WA, he was stationed to Fort Glenn AAB at the Aleutian Islands on the Island of Adak, Alaska, for the defense of the airfield.
On February 13th, 1943, a USAAF B-25 Mitchell bomber was limping back to base on one engine after being hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire during a mission against the enemy on the Island of Kiska. The airplane's remaining engine quit upon final approach for landing. The pilots were able to restart it, however this critical event caused the airplane to slow to near stall speed losing its normal flight control and which forced a uncontrolled landing.
Steve stationed in the airfield's radio shack/defense bunker dug out, was caught at the bunker's doorway during the B-25's crash landing. Timing forced Steve to run back into the enclosure to take cover where fellow servicemen and just enough time to flee the bunker with short notice of the failing approach. The bomber crashed off runway into the defense bunker, collapsing the enclosure upon Steve. He was quickly dug out by his fellow servicemen, however it was surmised that either the planes landing gear wheel or propeller caused him a severe head injury, where he survived about 45 minutes post accident. Steve did receive the "last rites" prayer by the airfield's Catholic priest.
Most of the B-25's aircrew was severely burned by the fire after the crash but did all survived.
Due to Steve's popularity,special permission was requested and obtained by the island's commanding officer to allow a larger than normally permitted assembly of the servicemen to attend his funeral and burial. This information was sourced from Steve's commanding office's letter sent to his parents.
Steve was interned on Adak's military cemetery and later was sent home to Chisholm for reburial post war. He was 22 years old at the time.
During WW II, Steve was the first son to enter the service on April 29th 1942 at Ft Snelling, MN. He was Private rank in the US Coastal Artillery, Battalion C 210th CAC - assigned to an anti-aircraft unit. After basic training in Seattle, WA, he was stationed to Fort Glenn AAB at the Aleutian Islands on the Island of Adak, Alaska, for the defense of the airfield.
On February 13th, 1943, a USAAF B-25 Mitchell bomber was limping back to base on one engine after being hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire during a mission against the enemy on the Island of Kiska. The airplane's remaining engine quit upon final approach for landing. The pilots were able to restart it, however this critical event caused the airplane to slow to near stall speed losing its normal flight control and which forced a uncontrolled landing.
Steve stationed in the airfield's radio shack/defense bunker dug out, was caught at the bunker's doorway during the B-25's crash landing. Timing forced Steve to run back into the enclosure to take cover where fellow servicemen and just enough time to flee the bunker with short notice of the failing approach. The bomber crashed off runway into the defense bunker, collapsing the enclosure upon Steve. He was quickly dug out by his fellow servicemen, however it was surmised that either the planes landing gear wheel or propeller caused him a severe head injury, where he survived about 45 minutes post accident. Steve did receive the "last rites" prayer by the airfield's Catholic priest.
Most of the B-25's aircrew was severely burned by the fire after the crash but did all survived.
Due to Steve's popularity,special permission was requested and obtained by the island's commanding officer to allow a larger than normally permitted assembly of the servicemen to attend his funeral and burial. This information was sourced from Steve's commanding office's letter sent to his parents.
Steve was interned on Adak's military cemetery and later was sent home to Chisholm for reburial post war. He was 22 years old at the time.
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