John Theodore Cieslak

Military

Assigned to 840BS, 483BG, 15AF USAAF. Jim Preston crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Nis, Yugoslavia in B-17 42-5786 'Whizzer II' 15-Apr-44. A/C hit by flak in radio room causing massive fire and disintegration. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 3909

Awards: PH.

Connections

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Units served with

Seen through a 433rd Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress' strike camera, a 816th Bomb Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5786) nicknamed "Whizzer II" goes down over Nis in Yugoslavia on the 15th of April 1944 in a gout of flame after taking a direct flak hit. There were no survivors. Official caption on image: "(483BG:4M3:2VI) (4:15:1208) (24:21300) ([south-west arrow] 140 [degrees]) (Nis M/Y Yugo) (Ship 111 816 Sq)." Handwritten caption on reverse: '15/4/44. 483BG, 15AF. Nis, Yugoslavia. 42-5786

483rd Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

840th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

James Otis Preston

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 840th Bomb Squadron 483rd Bomb Group
Service Numbers: 15171188 / O-690979
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-5786

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Whizzer II
Unit: 483rd Bomb Group 840th Bomb Squadron

Places

Amendola

Site type: Airfield

Zachary Taylor National Cemetery

Site type: Cemetery

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born		16 May 1924	BornMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Enlisted	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	13 January 1943	EnlistedMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Died Killed in Action (KIA)	Niš, Yugoslavia	15 August 1944	Killed in Action (KIA)Niš, Yugoslavia
Buried	Zachary Taylor National Cemetery Louisville, Kentucky	11 January 1950	Re-InterredZachary Taylor National CemeteryLouisville, Kentucky