Article published in the Syracuse Post-Standard, Thursday, April 20, 1950 p. 11
"Funeral Saturday for Leading Flier, Capt. Mikolajczyk"
The body of Capt. Henry J. Mikolajczyk, 23, Syracuse's leading combat pilot who had at least 11 enemy planes to his credit, as well as nearly a dozen locomotives blown up in a ground strafing mission will be returned here tomorrow from the U.S. Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz near Liège, Belgium.
A 1941 graduate of vocational high school, Capt. Mikolajczyk a former commercial pilot, enlisted Jan. 18, 1942. After receiving his training at Craig field, Selma, Ala., he was commissioned a second lieutenant Nov 10, 1942. The following summer he was assigned to the 352nd fighter group of the Eight air force in England as a fighter pilot.
He flew more than [unclear - 90?] missions in his P-51 Mustang, "The Syracusan." Upon completing his quota of missions, Capt. Mikolajczyk was returned home in the summer of 1944 for reassignment in the U.S.
Requested Return
After a short leave he requested reassignment to his former group and the first days he returned to duty he shot down two planes.
Capt. Mikolajczyk's flight of four Mustangs took off Nov. 2, 1944 on a bomber escort mission to Merseberg, Germany. In an encounter with enemy interceptors, he downed one plane and destroyed two on the ground. But his own plane was severely damaged. Upon his failure to return from the mission, Capt. Mikolajczyk was listed as missing in action. Late in 1949 army graves registration teams found his body in a civilian cemetery at Marks, Germany.
He was awarded numerous decorations, including the nation's third highest military medal, the silver star, the distinguished flying cross with three oak clusters, the air medal with three clusters and the purple heart.
Military Services
Son of the late Thomas Mikolajczyk, he is survived by his mother, Mrs. Nellie Mikolajczyk of 109 Hunter ave., and a brother, Steve Mikolajczyk. A native of Syracuse, he attended Sacred Heart School.
Services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the John Giminski funeral home and at 9 a.m. in Sacred Heart church. Full military rites will be conducted by members of Post 14 Polish Legion of American Veterans and the Auxilliary. Burial will be in the soldiers' plot at Sacred Heart Cemetery.
According to online sources, Hank Miklajcyk, known as "Pepsi," was a commercial flying instructor. A chronology of his military career during World War II is as follows:
January 18, 1942 - enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces.
November 10, 1942 - commissioned a Second Lieutenant and awarded pilot wings at Craig Field, Alabama.
December 1942 - assigned to the 21st Fighter Squadron (later redesignated the 486th Fighter Squadron) of the 352nd Fighter Group at Westover Field, Massachusetts.
July 1943 - deployed with the group to England; first flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and later switching to the P-51 Mustang. His
plane was named "The Syracusan."
November 2, 1944 - shot down after being "jumped by several Focke Wulfs [Nazi German fighter Fw 190]." his status was Killed in Action (KIA) with his P-51 Mustang "The Syracusian" #4413690 crashing near Halle, Germany.
Captain Miklajcyk was credited with the destruction of 7.5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, plus 6 more on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. According to online sources, he had reached the requisite number of "kills" (i.e. enemy aircraft shot down) and completed his tour of combat duty which permitted him to return from overseas. However, Miklajcyk insisted on remaining overseas and was shot down and shot down on a mission shortly after returning to duty.
Service Number was 0-793521.
For more information go to Veteran Tributes, acesofww2, and americanairmuseum.com
"Funeral Saturday for Leading Flier, Capt. Mikolajczyk"
The body of Capt. Henry J. Mikolajczyk, 23, Syracuse's leading combat pilot who had at least 11 enemy planes to his credit, as well as nearly a dozen locomotives blown up in a ground strafing mission will be returned here tomorrow from the U.S. Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz near Liège, Belgium.
A 1941 graduate of vocational high school, Capt. Mikolajczyk a former commercial pilot, enlisted Jan. 18, 1942. After receiving his training at Craig field, Selma, Ala., he was commissioned a second lieutenant Nov 10, 1942. The following summer he was assigned to the 352nd fighter group of the Eight air force in England as a fighter pilot.
He flew more than [unclear - 90?] missions in his P-51 Mustang, "The Syracusan." Upon completing his quota of missions, Capt. Mikolajczyk was returned home in the summer of 1944 for reassignment in the U.S.
Requested Return
After a short leave he requested reassignment to his former group and the first days he returned to duty he shot down two planes.
Capt. Mikolajczyk's flight of four Mustangs took off Nov. 2, 1944 on a bomber escort mission to Merseberg, Germany. In an encounter with enemy interceptors, he downed one plane and destroyed two on the ground. But his own plane was severely damaged. Upon his failure to return from the mission, Capt. Mikolajczyk was listed as missing in action. Late in 1949 army graves registration teams found his body in a civilian cemetery at Marks, Germany.
He was awarded numerous decorations, including the nation's third highest military medal, the silver star, the distinguished flying cross with three oak clusters, the air medal with three clusters and the purple heart.
Military Services
Son of the late Thomas Mikolajczyk, he is survived by his mother, Mrs. Nellie Mikolajczyk of 109 Hunter ave., and a brother, Steve Mikolajczyk. A native of Syracuse, he attended Sacred Heart School.
Services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the John Giminski funeral home and at 9 a.m. in Sacred Heart church. Full military rites will be conducted by members of Post 14 Polish Legion of American Veterans and the Auxilliary. Burial will be in the soldiers' plot at Sacred Heart Cemetery.
According to online sources, Hank Miklajcyk, known as "Pepsi," was a commercial flying instructor. A chronology of his military career during World War II is as follows:
January 18, 1942 - enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces.
November 10, 1942 - commissioned a Second Lieutenant and awarded pilot wings at Craig Field, Alabama.
December 1942 - assigned to the 21st Fighter Squadron (later redesignated the 486th Fighter Squadron) of the 352nd Fighter Group at Westover Field, Massachusetts.
July 1943 - deployed with the group to England; first flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and later switching to the P-51 Mustang. His
plane was named "The Syracusan."
November 2, 1944 - shot down after being "jumped by several Focke Wulfs [Nazi German fighter Fw 190]." his status was Killed in Action (KIA) with his P-51 Mustang "The Syracusian" #4413690 crashing near Halle, Germany.
Captain Miklajcyk was credited with the destruction of 7.5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, plus 6 more on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. According to online sources, he had reached the requisite number of "kills" (i.e. enemy aircraft shot down) and completed his tour of combat duty which permitted him to return from overseas. However, Miklajcyk insisted on remaining overseas and was shot down and shot down on a mission shortly after returning to duty.
Service Number was 0-793521.
For more information go to Veteran Tributes, acesofww2, and americanairmuseum.com
Article published in the Syracuse Post-Standard, Thursday, April 20, 1950 p. 11
"Funeral Saturday for Leading Flier, Capt. Mikolajczyk"
The body of Capt. Henry J. Mikolajczyk, 23, Syracuse's leading combat pilot who had at least 11 enemy planes to his credit, as well as nearly a dozen locomotives blown up in a ground strafing mission will be returned here tomorrow from the U.S. Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz near Liège, Belgium.
A 1941 graduate of vocational high school, Capt. Mikolajczyk a former commercial pilot, enlisted Jan. 18, 1942. After receiving his training at Craig field, Selma, Ala., he was commissioned a second lieutenant Nov 10, 1942. The following summer he was assigned to the 352nd fighter group of the Eight air force in England as a fighter pilot.
He flew more than [unclear - 90?] missions in his P-51 Mustang, "The Syracusan." Upon completing his quota of missions, Capt. Mikolajczyk was returned home in the summer of 1944 for reassignment in the U.S.
Requested Return
After a short leave he requested reassignment to his former group and the first days he returned to duty he shot down two planes.
Capt. Mikolajczyk's flight of four Mustangs took off Nov. 2, 1944 on a bomber escort mission to Merseberg, Germany. In an encounter with enemy interceptors, he downed one plane and destroyed two on the ground. But his own plane was severely damaged. Upon his failure to return from the mission, Capt. Mikolajczyk was listed as missing in action. Late in 1949 army graves registration teams found his body in a civilian cemetery at Marks, Germany.
He was awarded numerous decorations, including the nation's third highest military medal, the silver star, the distinguished flying cross with three oak clusters, the air medal with three clusters and the purple heart.
Military Services
Son of the late Thomas Mikolajczyk, he is survived by his mother, Mrs. Nellie Mikolajczyk of 109 Hunter ave., and a brother, Steve Mikolajczyk. A native of Syracuse, he attended Sacred Heart School.
Services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the John Giminski funeral home and at 9 a.m. in Sacred Heart church. Full military rites will be conducted by members of Post 14 Polish Legion of American Veterans and the Auxilliary. Burial will be in the soldiers' plot at Sacred Heart Cemetery.
According to online sources, Hank Miklajcyk, known as "Pepsi," was a commercial flying instructor. A chronology of his military career during World War II is as follows:
January 18, 1942 - enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces.
November 10, 1942 - commissioned a Second Lieutenant and awarded pilot wings at Craig Field, Alabama.
December 1942 - assigned to the 21st Fighter Squadron (later redesignated the 486th Fighter Squadron) of the 352nd Fighter Group at Westover Field, Massachusetts.
July 1943 - deployed with the group to England; first flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and later switching to the P-51 Mustang. His
plane was named "The Syracusan."
November 2, 1944 - shot down after being "jumped by several Focke Wulfs [Nazi German fighter Fw 190]." his status was Killed in Action (KIA) with his P-51 Mustang "The Syracusian" #4413690 crashing near Halle, Germany.
Captain Miklajcyk was credited with the destruction of 7.5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, plus 6 more on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. According to online sources, he had reached the requisite number of "kills" (i.e. enemy aircraft shot down) and completed his tour of combat duty which permitted him to return from overseas. However, Miklajcyk insisted on remaining overseas and was shot down and shot down on a mission shortly after returning to duty.
Service Number was 0-793521.
For more information go to Veteran Tributes, acesofww2, and americanairmuseum.com
"Funeral Saturday for Leading Flier, Capt. Mikolajczyk"
The body of Capt. Henry J. Mikolajczyk, 23, Syracuse's leading combat pilot who had at least 11 enemy planes to his credit, as well as nearly a dozen locomotives blown up in a ground strafing mission will be returned here tomorrow from the U.S. Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz near Liège, Belgium.
A 1941 graduate of vocational high school, Capt. Mikolajczyk a former commercial pilot, enlisted Jan. 18, 1942. After receiving his training at Craig field, Selma, Ala., he was commissioned a second lieutenant Nov 10, 1942. The following summer he was assigned to the 352nd fighter group of the Eight air force in England as a fighter pilot.
He flew more than [unclear - 90?] missions in his P-51 Mustang, "The Syracusan." Upon completing his quota of missions, Capt. Mikolajczyk was returned home in the summer of 1944 for reassignment in the U.S.
Requested Return
After a short leave he requested reassignment to his former group and the first days he returned to duty he shot down two planes.
Capt. Mikolajczyk's flight of four Mustangs took off Nov. 2, 1944 on a bomber escort mission to Merseberg, Germany. In an encounter with enemy interceptors, he downed one plane and destroyed two on the ground. But his own plane was severely damaged. Upon his failure to return from the mission, Capt. Mikolajczyk was listed as missing in action. Late in 1949 army graves registration teams found his body in a civilian cemetery at Marks, Germany.
He was awarded numerous decorations, including the nation's third highest military medal, the silver star, the distinguished flying cross with three oak clusters, the air medal with three clusters and the purple heart.
Military Services
Son of the late Thomas Mikolajczyk, he is survived by his mother, Mrs. Nellie Mikolajczyk of 109 Hunter ave., and a brother, Steve Mikolajczyk. A native of Syracuse, he attended Sacred Heart School.
Services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the John Giminski funeral home and at 9 a.m. in Sacred Heart church. Full military rites will be conducted by members of Post 14 Polish Legion of American Veterans and the Auxilliary. Burial will be in the soldiers' plot at Sacred Heart Cemetery.
According to online sources, Hank Miklajcyk, known as "Pepsi," was a commercial flying instructor. A chronology of his military career during World War II is as follows:
January 18, 1942 - enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces.
November 10, 1942 - commissioned a Second Lieutenant and awarded pilot wings at Craig Field, Alabama.
December 1942 - assigned to the 21st Fighter Squadron (later redesignated the 486th Fighter Squadron) of the 352nd Fighter Group at Westover Field, Massachusetts.
July 1943 - deployed with the group to England; first flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and later switching to the P-51 Mustang. His
plane was named "The Syracusan."
November 2, 1944 - shot down after being "jumped by several Focke Wulfs [Nazi German fighter Fw 190]." his status was Killed in Action (KIA) with his P-51 Mustang "The Syracusian" #4413690 crashing near Halle, Germany.
Captain Miklajcyk was credited with the destruction of 7.5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, plus 6 more on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. According to online sources, he had reached the requisite number of "kills" (i.e. enemy aircraft shot down) and completed his tour of combat duty which permitted him to return from overseas. However, Miklajcyk insisted on remaining overseas and was shot down and shot down on a mission shortly after returning to duty.
Service Number was 0-793521.
For more information go to Veteran Tributes, acesofww2, and americanairmuseum.com
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