Joseph J Balesh
MilitaryRadio operator, Duarte, E. crew. 381st BG, 535th BS, 8th AF. Shot down in B-17 #42-39910. Mission #55 to Bordeaux, France. Attacked by fighters that blew out the plexiglass in the nose along with engines #2 & 3. Headed to Spain and bailed out with one engine left. MACR 1878. Prisoner of War at Stalag XVIIB.
Reports are T/Sgt Balesh may have been left behind in the Pyrenees while attempting to cross.
Brooklyn, NY
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-803584
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-688966
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-808455
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17064663
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15104471
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron 535th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 31 December 1943
- Date: 30 December 1943
- Date: 24 December 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 17b, Krems an der Donau, Austria
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Brooklyn, NY | 12 June 1924 | |
|
Other Prisoner of War |
Wasserhofstraße, 3500 Krems an der Donau, Austria | 31 December 1943 | Stalag XVIIB |
|
Based Prisoner of War |
31 December 1943 |
Revisions
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.381st.org/UnitHistory/Data/Roster.aspx