Francis Edmund Kierszh was born on March 2, 1921. He was the son of Stanley Kierszh and Nettie Kubesheski Kierszh. He resided in Winnebago County, Wisconsin prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on August 29, 1942 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Stock Clerk and also as Single, without dependents. Francis served as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner on B-17F (#42-5908), 561st Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

Francis was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-17 was involved in a mid air collision with B-17 (#42-30370) and crashed into the North Sea during the war. His name is commemorated on the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom. He also has a cenotaph located in Riverside Cemetery, Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, USA. He was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov