It is with much love, pride and great respect that we, Anthony (Tony), Sandra (Sandy), Judith (Judi), Barbara (Barbie) and James (Jim), honor our father, Anton J. Pagac.
My dad was born in 1920 and died in 1990. During the war he was stationed in Casa Blanca, Africa. He was a member of the 97th Bomb Group, the 341st Bomb Squadron, and flew a B-17 for the 15th Air Force. He was also a member of the Flying Fortress.
The 15th Air Force flew its first mission on November 2, 1943. As a right waist gunner, my father had flown 53 missions, spanning Germany, Italy, Austria, and Hungary. He shot down two German planes (ME-109's) he stated were coming straight at him. He helped to bomb Monte Cassino, a 15th century abbey, in Italy, surmised to be occupied by the German enemy fighters. The 341st bomb squad bombed the Messerschmitt Factory in Augsburg, Germany, on December 19, 1943. My father also helped to destroy many oil targets.
Our father married our beautiful mother, Hazel, (nee Grim) while serving in the Air Force. Together, they raised five children, and were hard workers all their lives.
Thank-you dad, for bravely and proudly serving our country in World War ll. We will always miss you and love you.
