Second Lieutenant Bruno Matika, Army serial number O-758713, was born at Clifford, Blairsville Township, Williamson County, Illinois on September 5, 1916. He was one of at least eight children of George Matika (1876 – 1933) and Mary (Bielak) Matika (15 Mar 1880 – 20 Oct 1951), who were born in Poland. His parents married about 1899. His father immigrated to America about 1900, and his mother about 1902. His father was a coal miner. In 1920 the family lived at Clifford in Blairsville Township, Williamson County, Illinois. Clifford was located along Hurricane Creek just north of Colpville in Blairsville Township, and was the site of Consolidated #8 Mine of the Big Muddy Coal & Iron Company. In 1930 the family home was at 312 East 6th Street, West Frankfort, Franklin County, Illinois.
His father died in 1933, and because of the Depression there were few jobs. The family moved to California about 1938, where Bruno and many of his brothers found work. In April 1940 the family home was at 3846 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, California. He had only a grammar school education, but found work as a sheet metal worker at the Douglas Aircraft factory in Santa Monica, California. He registered for the draft at Los Angeles on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 142 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his mother at 1954 South Bedford Street in Los Angeles. He applied for and was accepted into the U.S. Army Aviation Cadet training program. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Los Angeles, California on August 31, 1942.
He probably entered Aviation Cadet training at Santa Ana Army Air Base, California. Following the classification process, he was selected for Army Air Forces pilot training in Class 43-J. He completed the Primary phase of pilot training at Thunderbird Field II, Scottsdale, Arizona; the Basic phase at Pecos Army Air Field, Texas; and the Advanced phase at Marfa Army Air Field, Texas. He graduated at Marfa and received his wings and commission on November 3, 1943.
He was assigned as copilot on the heavy bomber crew of Lt James A. Logan. By December 1943 the Logan crew began B-24 crew training at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson, Arizona. In January 1944 the crew was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. There they completed B-24 crew training, and deployed with the Group to England in March 1944. They flew B-24H 41-29520 from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Lavenham, England via the southern Atlantic ferry route—a journey of about 10,000 miles—and arrived in England by mid-April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. There is a photo of the Logan crew, probably taken during the deployment, posted on the 487th Bomb Group website. Here is Lt Logan's crew roster on July 2, 1944:
B-24H 42-52609 – 836th Bomb Squadron
• Logan, James A – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Matika, Bruno – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Doran, Harry LeRoy – 2/Lt – Navigator – POW
• Greer, George Hubert – T/Sgt – Engineer – POW
• Johnson, William T – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Pellizzer, Louis – S/Sgt – Nose Turret Gunner – KIA
• Wilson, Max W – S/Sgt – Upper Turret Gunner – KIA
• Buck, Herman W – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Ross, John Finlay – S/Sgt – Tail Turret Gunner – POW
On July 2, 1944 the 487th Bomb Group dispatched two squadrons of B-24s to bomb the German V-weapon site at Belloy-sur-Somme, France, northwest of Amiens near the River Somme. The Logan crew flew B-24H 42-52609 on this mission. On the return route, Lt Matika and five of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft was shot down by flak in the area of Bethune-St. Pol, France. After the aircraft was hit and on fire, Lt Logan pulled up to avoid colliding with another aircraft in the formation, B-24H 42-52766 'Sammy's Niece' with the crew of Lt Joseph P. Peyton aboard. This selfless act saved Lt Peyton's aircraft and crew. Lt Logan's aircraft then broke up and went down in flames. It crashed 3.5 kilometers west of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, and 2 kilometers east of Siracourt, in the vicinity of 50.373°N, 2.291°E. Three men survived and became prisoners of war.
Lt Matika was buried initially at Evreux, France. After the war his remains were reinterred at Normandy American Cemetery in Plot D, Row 8, Grave 33. There is another photo of his grave posted on the 487th Bomb Group website.
He was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
Sources:
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. 1920 US Census; Illinois; Williamson County; Blairsville Township. Malika, George [sic]. 19 Jan 1920 (Geroge Matika, his father)
3. 1930 US Census; Illinois; Franklin County; West Frankfort; 312 East 6th Street; Matika, George. 16 Apr 1930 (his father)
4. 1940 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Los Angeles; 3846 South Hill Street. Matika, Mary. 11 Apr 1940 (his mother)
5. American Battle Monuments Commission
6. Army Air Forces Collection of Mike Voisin. Wings: Class Book for Army Air Forces Pilot Class 43-J, Marfa Army Air Field, Texas. Nov 1943
7. California Death Records, 1940–1997
8. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
9. Enlistment Record of Bruno Matika
10. Genealogy Trails. Blairsville Township, Illinois
11. Historic Map Works. Illinois, Williamson County, 1908
12. HQ, 359th Combat Crew Training School, Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. Special Orders Number 71. 11 Mar 1944 (487th Bomb Group flight echelon order to proceed from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Herington, Kansas during the deployment to England)
13. HQ, Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona. Special Orders Number 1. 1 Jan 1944 (transfer of fifty heavy bomber combat crews, less navigators, from Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, to the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico)
14. Lamparski, Lynne. Personal correspondence about Matika family history. Oct 2016 (a great niece)
15. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 6770
16. U.S. Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949 (ancestry.com)
17. U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939–1945
18. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
19. U.S. World War II Draft Cards, Young Men, 1940–1947
Research by:
Paul Webber
Secretary, 487th Bomb Group Association
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
His father died in 1933, and because of the Depression there were few jobs. The family moved to California about 1938, where Bruno and many of his brothers found work. In April 1940 the family home was at 3846 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, California. He had only a grammar school education, but found work as a sheet metal worker at the Douglas Aircraft factory in Santa Monica, California. He registered for the draft at Los Angeles on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 142 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his mother at 1954 South Bedford Street in Los Angeles. He applied for and was accepted into the U.S. Army Aviation Cadet training program. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Los Angeles, California on August 31, 1942.
He probably entered Aviation Cadet training at Santa Ana Army Air Base, California. Following the classification process, he was selected for Army Air Forces pilot training in Class 43-J. He completed the Primary phase of pilot training at Thunderbird Field II, Scottsdale, Arizona; the Basic phase at Pecos Army Air Field, Texas; and the Advanced phase at Marfa Army Air Field, Texas. He graduated at Marfa and received his wings and commission on November 3, 1943.
He was assigned as copilot on the heavy bomber crew of Lt James A. Logan. By December 1943 the Logan crew began B-24 crew training at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson, Arizona. In January 1944 the crew was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. There they completed B-24 crew training, and deployed with the Group to England in March 1944. They flew B-24H 41-29520 from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Lavenham, England via the southern Atlantic ferry route—a journey of about 10,000 miles—and arrived in England by mid-April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. There is a photo of the Logan crew, probably taken during the deployment, posted on the 487th Bomb Group website. Here is Lt Logan's crew roster on July 2, 1944:
B-24H 42-52609 – 836th Bomb Squadron
• Logan, James A – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Matika, Bruno – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Doran, Harry LeRoy – 2/Lt – Navigator – POW
• Greer, George Hubert – T/Sgt – Engineer – POW
• Johnson, William T – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Pellizzer, Louis – S/Sgt – Nose Turret Gunner – KIA
• Wilson, Max W – S/Sgt – Upper Turret Gunner – KIA
• Buck, Herman W – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Ross, John Finlay – S/Sgt – Tail Turret Gunner – POW
On July 2, 1944 the 487th Bomb Group dispatched two squadrons of B-24s to bomb the German V-weapon site at Belloy-sur-Somme, France, northwest of Amiens near the River Somme. The Logan crew flew B-24H 42-52609 on this mission. On the return route, Lt Matika and five of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft was shot down by flak in the area of Bethune-St. Pol, France. After the aircraft was hit and on fire, Lt Logan pulled up to avoid colliding with another aircraft in the formation, B-24H 42-52766 'Sammy's Niece' with the crew of Lt Joseph P. Peyton aboard. This selfless act saved Lt Peyton's aircraft and crew. Lt Logan's aircraft then broke up and went down in flames. It crashed 3.5 kilometers west of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, and 2 kilometers east of Siracourt, in the vicinity of 50.373°N, 2.291°E. Three men survived and became prisoners of war.
Lt Matika was buried initially at Evreux, France. After the war his remains were reinterred at Normandy American Cemetery in Plot D, Row 8, Grave 33. There is another photo of his grave posted on the 487th Bomb Group website.
He was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
Sources:
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. 1920 US Census; Illinois; Williamson County; Blairsville Township. Malika, George [sic]. 19 Jan 1920 (Geroge Matika, his father)
3. 1930 US Census; Illinois; Franklin County; West Frankfort; 312 East 6th Street; Matika, George. 16 Apr 1930 (his father)
4. 1940 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Los Angeles; 3846 South Hill Street. Matika, Mary. 11 Apr 1940 (his mother)
5. American Battle Monuments Commission
6. Army Air Forces Collection of Mike Voisin. Wings: Class Book for Army Air Forces Pilot Class 43-J, Marfa Army Air Field, Texas. Nov 1943
7. California Death Records, 1940–1997
8. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
9. Enlistment Record of Bruno Matika
10. Genealogy Trails. Blairsville Township, Illinois
11. Historic Map Works. Illinois, Williamson County, 1908
12. HQ, 359th Combat Crew Training School, Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. Special Orders Number 71. 11 Mar 1944 (487th Bomb Group flight echelon order to proceed from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Herington, Kansas during the deployment to England)
13. HQ, Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona. Special Orders Number 1. 1 Jan 1944 (transfer of fifty heavy bomber combat crews, less navigators, from Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, to the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico)
14. Lamparski, Lynne. Personal correspondence about Matika family history. Oct 2016 (a great niece)
15. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 6770
16. U.S. Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949 (ancestry.com)
17. U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939–1945
18. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
19. U.S. World War II Draft Cards, Young Men, 1940–1947
Research by:
Paul Webber
Secretary, 487th Bomb Group Association
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
Second Lieutenant Bruno Matika, Army serial number O-758713, was born at Clifford, Blairsville Township, Williamson County, Illinois on September 5, 1916. He was one of at least eight children of George Matika (1876 – 1933) and Mary (Bielak) Matika (15 Mar 1880 – 20 Oct 1951), who were born in Poland. His parents married about 1899. His father immigrated to America about 1900, and his mother about 1902. His father was a coal miner. In 1920 the family lived at Clifford in Blairsville Township, Williamson County, Illinois. Clifford was located along Hurricane Creek just north of Colpville in Blairsville Township, and was the site of Consolidated #8 Mine of the Big Muddy Coal & Iron Company. In 1930 the family home was at 312 East 6th Street, West Frankfort, Franklin County, Illinois.
His father died in 1933, and because of the Depression there were few jobs. The family moved to California about 1938, where Bruno and many of his brothers found work. In April 1940 the family home was at 3846 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, California. He had only a grammar school education, but found work as a sheet metal worker at the Douglas Aircraft factory in Santa Monica, California. He registered for the draft at Los Angeles on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 142 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his mother at 1954 South Bedford Street in Los Angeles. He applied for and was accepted into the U.S. Army Aviation Cadet training program. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Los Angeles, California on August 31, 1942.
He probably entered Aviation Cadet training at Santa Ana Army Air Base, California. Following the classification process, he was selected for Army Air Forces pilot training in Class 43-J. He completed the Primary phase of pilot training at Thunderbird Field II, Scottsdale, Arizona; the Basic phase at Pecos Army Air Field, Texas; and the Advanced phase at Marfa Army Air Field, Texas. He graduated at Marfa and received his wings and commission on November 3, 1943.
He was assigned as copilot on the heavy bomber crew of Lt James A. Logan. By December 1943 the Logan crew began B-24 crew training at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson, Arizona. In January 1944 the crew was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. There they completed B-24 crew training, and deployed with the Group to England in March 1944. They flew B-24H 41-29520 from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Lavenham, England via the southern Atlantic ferry route—a journey of about 10,000 miles—and arrived in England by mid-April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. There is a photo of the Logan crew, probably taken during the deployment, posted on the 487th Bomb Group website. Here is Lt Logan's crew roster on July 2, 1944:
B-24H 42-52609 – 836th Bomb Squadron
• Logan, James A – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Matika, Bruno – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Doran, Harry LeRoy – 2/Lt – Navigator – POW
• Greer, George Hubert – T/Sgt – Engineer – POW
• Johnson, William T – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Pellizzer, Louis – S/Sgt – Nose Turret Gunner – KIA
• Wilson, Max W – S/Sgt – Upper Turret Gunner – KIA
• Buck, Herman W – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Ross, John Finlay – S/Sgt – Tail Turret Gunner – POW
On July 2, 1944 the 487th Bomb Group dispatched two squadrons of B-24s to bomb the German V-weapon site at Belloy-sur-Somme, France, northwest of Amiens near the River Somme. The Logan crew flew B-24H 42-52609 on this mission. On the return route, Lt Matika and five of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft was shot down by flak in the area of Bethune-St. Pol, France. After the aircraft was hit and on fire, Lt Logan pulled up to avoid colliding with another aircraft in the formation, B-24H 42-52766 'Sammy's Niece' with the crew of Lt Joseph P. Peyton aboard. This selfless act saved Lt Peyton's aircraft and crew. Lt Logan's aircraft then broke up and went down in flames. It crashed 3.5 kilometers west of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, and 2 kilometers east of Siracourt, in the vicinity of 50.373°N, 2.291°E. Three men survived and became prisoners of war.
Lt Matika was buried initially at Evreux, France. After the war his remains were reinterred at Normandy American Cemetery in Plot D, Row 8, Grave 33. There is another photo of his grave posted on the 487th Bomb Group website.
He was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
Sources:
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. 1920 US Census; Illinois; Williamson County; Blairsville Township. Malika, George [sic]. 19 Jan 1920 (Geroge Matika, his father)
3. 1930 US Census; Illinois; Franklin County; West Frankfort; 312 East 6th Street; Matika, George. 16 Apr 1930 (his father)
4. 1940 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Los Angeles; 3846 South Hill Street. Matika, Mary. 11 Apr 1940 (his mother)
5. American Battle Monuments Commission
6. Army Air Forces Collection of Mike Voisin. Wings: Class Book for Army Air Forces Pilot Class 43-J, Marfa Army Air Field, Texas. Nov 1943
7. California Death Records, 1940–1997
8. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
9. Enlistment Record of Bruno Matika
10. Genealogy Trails. Blairsville Township, Illinois
11. Historic Map Works. Illinois, Williamson County, 1908
12. HQ, 359th Combat Crew Training School, Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. Special Orders Number 71. 11 Mar 1944 (487th Bomb Group flight echelon order to proceed from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Herington, Kansas during the deployment to England)
13. HQ, Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona. Special Orders Number 1. 1 Jan 1944 (transfer of fifty heavy bomber combat crews, less navigators, from Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, to the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico)
14. Lamparski, Lynne. Personal correspondence about Matika family history. Oct 2016 (a great niece)
15. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 6770
16. U.S. Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949 (ancestry.com)
17. U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939–1945
18. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
19. U.S. World War II Draft Cards, Young Men, 1940–1947
Research by:
Paul Webber
Secretary, 487th Bomb Group Association
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
His father died in 1933, and because of the Depression there were few jobs. The family moved to California about 1938, where Bruno and many of his brothers found work. In April 1940 the family home was at 3846 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, California. He had only a grammar school education, but found work as a sheet metal worker at the Douglas Aircraft factory in Santa Monica, California. He registered for the draft at Los Angeles on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 142 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his mother at 1954 South Bedford Street in Los Angeles. He applied for and was accepted into the U.S. Army Aviation Cadet training program. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Los Angeles, California on August 31, 1942.
He probably entered Aviation Cadet training at Santa Ana Army Air Base, California. Following the classification process, he was selected for Army Air Forces pilot training in Class 43-J. He completed the Primary phase of pilot training at Thunderbird Field II, Scottsdale, Arizona; the Basic phase at Pecos Army Air Field, Texas; and the Advanced phase at Marfa Army Air Field, Texas. He graduated at Marfa and received his wings and commission on November 3, 1943.
He was assigned as copilot on the heavy bomber crew of Lt James A. Logan. By December 1943 the Logan crew began B-24 crew training at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson, Arizona. In January 1944 the crew was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. There they completed B-24 crew training, and deployed with the Group to England in March 1944. They flew B-24H 41-29520 from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Lavenham, England via the southern Atlantic ferry route—a journey of about 10,000 miles—and arrived in England by mid-April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. There is a photo of the Logan crew, probably taken during the deployment, posted on the 487th Bomb Group website. Here is Lt Logan's crew roster on July 2, 1944:
B-24H 42-52609 – 836th Bomb Squadron
• Logan, James A – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Matika, Bruno – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Doran, Harry LeRoy – 2/Lt – Navigator – POW
• Greer, George Hubert – T/Sgt – Engineer – POW
• Johnson, William T – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Pellizzer, Louis – S/Sgt – Nose Turret Gunner – KIA
• Wilson, Max W – S/Sgt – Upper Turret Gunner – KIA
• Buck, Herman W – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Ross, John Finlay – S/Sgt – Tail Turret Gunner – POW
On July 2, 1944 the 487th Bomb Group dispatched two squadrons of B-24s to bomb the German V-weapon site at Belloy-sur-Somme, France, northwest of Amiens near the River Somme. The Logan crew flew B-24H 42-52609 on this mission. On the return route, Lt Matika and five of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft was shot down by flak in the area of Bethune-St. Pol, France. After the aircraft was hit and on fire, Lt Logan pulled up to avoid colliding with another aircraft in the formation, B-24H 42-52766 'Sammy's Niece' with the crew of Lt Joseph P. Peyton aboard. This selfless act saved Lt Peyton's aircraft and crew. Lt Logan's aircraft then broke up and went down in flames. It crashed 3.5 kilometers west of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, and 2 kilometers east of Siracourt, in the vicinity of 50.373°N, 2.291°E. Three men survived and became prisoners of war.
Lt Matika was buried initially at Evreux, France. After the war his remains were reinterred at Normandy American Cemetery in Plot D, Row 8, Grave 33. There is another photo of his grave posted on the 487th Bomb Group website.
He was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
Sources:
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. 1920 US Census; Illinois; Williamson County; Blairsville Township. Malika, George [sic]. 19 Jan 1920 (Geroge Matika, his father)
3. 1930 US Census; Illinois; Franklin County; West Frankfort; 312 East 6th Street; Matika, George. 16 Apr 1930 (his father)
4. 1940 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Los Angeles; 3846 South Hill Street. Matika, Mary. 11 Apr 1940 (his mother)
5. American Battle Monuments Commission
6. Army Air Forces Collection of Mike Voisin. Wings: Class Book for Army Air Forces Pilot Class 43-J, Marfa Army Air Field, Texas. Nov 1943
7. California Death Records, 1940–1997
8. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
9. Enlistment Record of Bruno Matika
10. Genealogy Trails. Blairsville Township, Illinois
11. Historic Map Works. Illinois, Williamson County, 1908
12. HQ, 359th Combat Crew Training School, Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. Special Orders Number 71. 11 Mar 1944 (487th Bomb Group flight echelon order to proceed from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Herington, Kansas during the deployment to England)
13. HQ, Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona. Special Orders Number 1. 1 Jan 1944 (transfer of fifty heavy bomber combat crews, less navigators, from Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, to the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico)
14. Lamparski, Lynne. Personal correspondence about Matika family history. Oct 2016 (a great niece)
15. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 6770
16. U.S. Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949 (ancestry.com)
17. U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939–1945
18. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
19. U.S. World War II Draft Cards, Young Men, 1940–1947
Research by:
Paul Webber
Secretary, 487th Bomb Group Association
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
Inscription
BRUNO MATIKA
2 LT 836 BOMB SQ 487 BOMB GP (H)
CALIFORNIA JULY 2 1944
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from California.
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