Grdenich Frank

Monuments

2nd Lt Frank Grdenich Monument

Anglo-American Memorial 1939-1945 (65th Fighter Wing)

Name:

Frank Grdenich

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-760454

Unit:

434th Fighter Squadron, 479th Fighter Group

Date of Death:

1944-06-19

State:

Pennsylvania

Cemetery:

Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

Plot:

Section 34

Row:

Grave:

2573

Decoration:

Comments:

Frank Grdenich was born on 13 May 1918. He served in the 434th Fighter Squadron, 479th Fighter Group, as a Second Lieutenant during World War II.

On 19 June 1944, 2Lt Grdenich took off from Sation 377 in Wattisham, England, aboard P-38 #43-28456. His mission was to destroy six airfields in the area of Bordeaux-Mérignac. The planes of the 479 Th fighter group must meet a group of B17 near La Rochelle to ensure their safety when returning to Great Britain.

But the fighters are confronted with a thick cloud layer and they make the decision to turn back. The plane of the leader, Ward Kuentzel, went into a dive toward the ground and Franck Grdenich into its wake. A few seconds, later, Ward Kuentzel crash himself at Petit-Val, in Montilly (Orne, France), and Frank Grdenich in Aubusson (Orne, France).

2Lt Grdenich is now buried in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.americanairmuseum.com, francecrashes39-45.net