Taisto Leonard Huhtala
MilitaryFamily collection
Taisto Huhtala's father Henry was born on 7 December 1890 in Ylistaro, Vaasan Lääni (Vaasa Province), Finland. Henry emigrated to the United States and married US-born Aili Johnson. Their son Taisto Huhtala flew as a Tail Gunner, Waist Gunner and then as Bombardier/Togglier with the 390th Bomb Group/571st Bomb Squadron. First mission on 18 June 1944 and completed his 33rd on 15 October 1944.
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: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Cincinnati queen / blues in the night
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Six Nights in Telergma, Arabian Nuts, Canadian Club
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Chaff Wagon
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Joker
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The jeannie bee
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Parham
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
11 September 1918 | Forbes, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States the son of Henry and Aili (Johnson) Huhtala | |
Died |
31 August 1991 | Becker, Minnesota | |
Cloquet, Carlton County, Minnesota | |||
Buried |
Taisto Huhtala rests at the New Zim Cemetery in Zim, Minnesota |
Revisions
Most missions in the 571st squadron. For some reason he was in the 569th for his 4th mission on the Cincinnati Queen/Blues in the Night, serial number 42-30715 that had to be ditched in the North Sea
WWII Draft card
Veterans Affairs BIRLS death File
VA Gravesite Locator
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.390thspace.com/missions.php?name=Huhtala%2C+Taisto+L