Surnames: Papierniak, Cattanach

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 10/25/1945

Papierniak, Edward (5 SEP 1923 - 23 FEB 1944)

The death of Staff Sergeant Edward Papierniak, missing in action since Feb. 23, 1944, has been declared dead as of Oct. 18, 1945, by the War Department, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Papierniak here Tuesday.

Sgt. Papierniak, who was an engineer of the 15th Air Corps was a member of the crew on a B-24 (Liberator) bomber which failed to return from their fourteenth bombing mission to Steyr, Austria, on Feb. 23, 1944. The plane was attacked and forced down near Wels, Austria. A repatriated crew stated that the plane went down near the village of Grunnau, Austria, and that Sgt Papierniak was buried with other crew members. However no official information was received to that effect.

Edward Papierniak was born Sept. 5th, 1923 in Thorp, Clark Co., Wis. He attended the Thorp schools, graduating in 1941 from Thorp High School. He enlisted in the air corps Dec. 9, 1942, and after receiving his training went overseas to Italy in Dec. 1943.

He is survived by his parents, two brothers, Louis Jr., and Donald and three sisters, Mrs. Irene Cattanach, Dorothy and Judith Papierniak of Thorp.