Personnel

CREW



2ND LT FRANCIS H. MIKESH                             P CPT 23 MAR 45 MARBURG & UNNA

2ND LT RALPH H. "Pinky" CHRISTENSEN           CP CPT 23 MAR 45 MARBURG & UNNA

2ND LT HARRY CHUDY                            NAV CPT 23 MAR 45 MARBURG & UNNA

2ND LT FREDERICK S. "Pappy" DAIGER III        BOM NOC GROUP ADJUTANT

T/SGT JOSEPH M. CIAMAICHELLA                 TTE CPT 23 MAR 45 MARBURG & UNNA

T/SGT RAMON CONEJO                             ROG CPT 23 MAR 45 MARBURG & UNNA

S/SGT DALE E. FRANCIS                            BTG CPT 23 MAR 45 MARBURG & UNNA

S/SGT EARL B. FOUTS                               WG NOC (TAKEN OFF CREW TO REDUCE TO 9)

S/SGT DONALD L. CARPENTER                      WG CPT 23 MAR 45 MARBURG & UNNA

S/SGT WILLIAM F. DONDERO                       TG CPT 23 MAR 45 MARBURG & UNNA  (SHOT DOWN AN FW 190 AND RECEIVED AN

                                                                                                                                     OAK LEAF CLUSTER TO HIS AIR MEDAL)



418TH SQDN.. CREW JOINED THE 100TH ON 05 OCT 1944. A/C 339005 "Lucky Lassie" LD-Y

ACCORDING TO LT MIKISH, "LUCKY" LASSIE SUSTAINED BATTLE DAMAGE ON 6 FEB 45 FROM FLAK.  SHE HAD A WINDMILLING PROP THAT COULD NOT BE FEATHERED.  THE CREW HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR REIMS AND BLEW THE RIGHT TIRE UPON LANDING.    THERE WERE NO INJURIES .



CHEMNITZ -Feb 6, 1945 that was emergency landing, no casualties except Pappy Daiger who never flew again and became Group Adjutant instead. 



Ralph states that just after bomb run on Chemnitz in far eastern Germany, they took direct flak hit to #3 engine, could not control windmilling of propeller.   Limping westward towards England, they barely made it to emergency landing in Reims, France. Ralph recalls that he and Mikesh had fierce argument in cockpit about whether/how much to throw out to lighten load.  Although Reims was under Allied control, it's NE of Paris near border with Belgium and there were still many Germans present wreaking havoc, only weeks after Battle of the Bulge - they often knew passwords and other details which made them difficult to spot and very dangerous to downed fliers.  Ralph and Mikesh crew walked to train station, took train to Paris and C-47 back to London, then train to Diss.  No one at 100thBG base knew the crew whereabouts, were surprised when they showed up 11 days after mission; Ralph said their bags and trunks were packed and ready to be shipped back to states. 



 MISSIONS OF LT FRANCIS MIKESH CREW:



1. Hanover            10-26-44

2. Mersberg           11-2-44

3. Saarbackeb        11-9-44

4. Mersberg           11-21-44

5. Hamm               11-26-44

6. Hamm               11-29-44

7. Mersberg           11-30-44

8. Freidburg           12-4-44

9. Berlin                 12-5-44

10. Coblenz           12-11-44

11. Darmstadt        12-12-44

12. Biblis                12-24-44

13. Coblenz            12-28-44

14. Fulda               12- 29-44

15. Hamburg          12-31-44

16.   Cologne           1-7-45

17.   Mainz               1-13-45            

18.   Derben            1-14-45

19.   Heilbronn         1-20-45            

20.   Mannheim        1-22-45

21.   Chemnitz           2-6-45  (Emergency landing in Reims, France, returned to Thorpe Abbotts 11 days later)    

22.   Munster           2-19-45  

23.   Brunswick         3-2-45             

24.   Seigen             3-7-45

25.   Bochum            3-8-45             

26.   Frankfurt           3-9-45 

27.   Hamburg           3-11-45            

28.   Swinemunde     3-12-45

29.   Plavan              3-17-45            

30.   Berlin                3-18-45

31.   Jena                 3-19-45            

32.   Ahlhorne           3-22-45

33.   Unna                3-23-45





F.H Mikesh flew 3 Chowhound Missions without this Crew.  Was assigned a pick up crew for the ChowHounds.  Retuned home Dec 45.

Francis H. MIKESH

Passed Away Peacefully at Age 95 Surrounded by his Loving Family on July 15, 2015 Awaited in heaven by his loving wife, Joyce; and sons-in-law Paul Henriksen and John Roen. He will be dearly missed by his children, Terry (Melanie Borkowski), Nan Roen, Mary Henriksen, Tom (Colleen), and John (PJ); 11 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; brother, Paul; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Proud WWII Veteran, founding member of St. Pascal Baylon Catholic Church, and Past Grand Knight of Fr. Finley Council 4374. Mass of Christian Burial 10:30 AM with visitation one hour prior to Mass on Monday, July 20, 2015, at St. Pascal Baylon Catholic Church, 1757 Conway St., St. Paul. Interment at a later date at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis. Memorials are preferred to St. Pascal Baylon Catholic Church.

Published in Pioneer Press from July 17 to July 19, 2015



Francis Mikesh 418th Squadron July 15, 2015“Fran” was Pilot of “Lucky Lassie” arriving at Thorpe Abbotts on Oct 5, 1944.  He flew 33 combat missions and 3 Chowhound missions.



***************************************



Francis Harold Mikesh Obituary 

Date of Birth:

Tuesday, March 30th, 1920 

Date of Death:

Wednesday, July 15th, 2015 

Funeral Home:

Mueller Memorial - St. Paul, White Bear Lake & the Twin Cities 

http://www.muellermemorial.com/

835 Johnson Parkway

St. Paul, Minnesota, UNITED STATES

55106 

Obituary: 

FRANCIS H. MIKESH





Francis H. Mikesh was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on March 30, 1920 to Frank and Anna Mikesh and grew up in St. Paul along with sister, Helen and brothers, Edward and Paul. He attended Central High School and then joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Fran joined the US Army Air Corps in 1942. Before he was sent overseas, he married his beloved Joyce in San Diego, California on November 21, 1942. He was stationed in England from 1944-1945. With the rank of Captain, he piloted 33 combat missions over Europe in his B-17, the “Lucky Lassie”, assigned to the 100th Bomb Group, known as the “Bloody Hundredth.” On one mission, Fran successfully landed his damaged aircraft in France, removed the Norden bomb sight, and carried it for some time until he was able to secure it from enemy hands. After hostilities ended, he flew “Chow Hound” missions, dropping food and supplies to civilians in the formerly occupied Netherlands. He was honorably discharged on Christmas Day in 1945.





Upon his return, Fran resumed work at the United States Post Office in St. Paul. Fran and Joyce bought their home on 4th Street in 1946. Fran and Joyce were founding members of St. Pascal Baylon Catholic Church in 1947. They began their family in 1948 with the birth of their first child, Terry. Nan arrived in 1949, Mary in 1951, Tom in 1952, and John in 1955.





From 1975 to 1977, Fran and Joyce saw four of their children marry and begin their families.





Following his retirement from the USPS in 1979, Fran became a Grand Knight of Fr. Finley Council 4374. In retirement, Fran enjoyed golf, woodworking, bowling, and playing cards, especially gin rummy with his brother, Paul.





Family was the essence of Fran’s life. He and Joyce worked tirelessly to provide an excellent family life for their children. One of Fran’s several second jobs was for the original St. Paul Saints. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren were also a source of much love and pride. When Joyce, the love of Fran’s life, passed away in 2006, he lived independently in their home until he passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on July 15, 2015.





He will be dearly missed by his five children; son, Terry (Melanie Borkowski); daughter, Nan Roen and her children, Shelly (Tom) Sampers and their children, John, Stephen, Angela; and Jim (Jackie) Roen and their children, Samantha and Alex; daughter, Mary Henriksen and her children, Mike (Kate) Henriksen and their children, Noah, Eleanor and Adeline; and Lisa Henriksen; son, Tom (Colleen) Mikesh and their children, Lawrence (Tamara) Mikesh and their children, Everett and Wyatt; Patrick (Katie) Mikesh and their children, Owen, Ben and Alex; and Allison (Jake) Beauregard and their children, Luke and Gabby; and son, John (PJ) Mikesh and their children, Brian Mikesh; and Nate, Ben and Joshua Kofalt; brother, Paul; special friend and caregiver, Chris Smith; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.