Michael William Ballbach was born on July 15, 1915 in Saukville, Wisconsin. He was the son of Michael Ballbach and Mary C. Ballbach. He enlisted from Sacramento, California and served in the 780th Bomber Squadron, 465th Bomber Group, Heavy as a Second Lieutenant during World War II. He was the Pilot on B17 #42- 52466 "Jack Pine Joe" which crashed in Switzerland on Jul 19, 1944 during a mission to Munich. Number 2 engine went out over the target and the prop could not be feathered. Navigator bailed out and became POW, and crew headed to Switzerland. The crew bailed out after crossing Lake Constance, but the Co-Pilot was killed when he failed to pull the ripcord. 2LT Ballbach was killed when he bailed out of the plane and his parachute failed to open over Friedrichshafen in southern Germany. The plane flew unmanned for another 30 km before it crashed into the castle of Wyden near Ossingen, Switzerland. 2LT Ballbach was temporarily buried in what was then the American Cemetery in Münsingen, Switzerland. His final resting place is in Epinal American Cemetery, Dinozé, France.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_3.html