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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Carol Dorris

Staff Sgt. Frank Fekete, Jr., ball turret gunner of the Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress, "I'll Get By," was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for "extraordinary achievement" during bombing attacks on Nazi war industries and in support of Allied ground troops advancing towards Berlin. Sgt. Fekete also holds the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters and rode the cramped ball turret position on bombing attacks against targets at Brussels, Paris, Leipzig, St. Lo, Caen, the Galaise pocket, and many others. On D-Day minus one, he flew on a mission to the Pas de Calais during which the right waist gunner was seriously injured by intense flak. The prompt, efficient first aid given by Sgt. Fekete and the other waist gunner saved his life in the opinion of surgeons at the base. Sgt. Fekete's bomber group was cited by President Roosevelt for battling extremely adverse weather and fierce flak to successfully attack the Fock-Wulf factories at Posen, Poland in April, 1944. He was honorably discharged on September 30, 1945, and was the son of Frank and Mary Fekete of Richeyville, Pa.