T/Sgt. Harold E. Falk
United States Army Air Corps (1941-1945)

Harold Eugene Falk was born on November 8, 1914 to parents Julia B. and Ozmer B. Falk. He had three brothers, Adolph, Ozmer Jr. and Frank, and a sister, Elizabeth. The Falk family lived at 2166 Beaufort Avenue, then moved to 2070 Pioneer Avenue.

Harold went to West Liberty Elementary School and graduated from South Hills High School. He was employed as an electrician for the Federated Metals Division of the American Steel Rolling Company when he was drafted into the Army on May 11, 1941. He passed his induction exam and was sent to Fort Meade, Maryland.

Harold joined the Army Air Forces and, after flight training, was assigned as the flight engineer to the ten-member crew of a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber.

The Flight Engineer had to be a qualified airplane mechanic. Prior to takeoff, the Engineer did a pre-flight visual check of the plane and made sure that the gas caps were secured. He called out air speeds during takeoff and, while in the air, stayed within earshot of the pilot in case something went wrong and needed fixing. Harold's normal position during flight was to man the Turret Gun.

Sgt. Falk's responsibilities also included making certain that the wheels were always locked in position prior to landing. There were times when he would need to lower them by crank, from inside the plane. On occasions, if the plane were damaged, he might have to manually release the bombs through the bomb bay doors.

If that was the case, it was necessary for him to go out on the catwalk without a parachute, five miles high, with the temperature at minus sixty degrees. He would lay down, take the arming wire from the bombs, release them and then secure the bomb bay doors to the catwalk so the plane could later land safely.

After extensive schooling at Kessler Field in Mississippi and additional in-flight training, Sgt. Falk and his crew were deployed overseas, in August 1943, to join the U.S. VIII Bomber Command, later reorganized as the 8th Air Force, in England.

Sergeant Harold E. Falk and his crew flew their B-24 Liberator bomber during the height of the air war over Europe, participating in many of the large operations over Germany. They completed their thirty-five mission tour of duty. Along the way, Sgt. Falk was awarded, in April 1944, the Air Medal and, in July 1944, the Distinguished Flying Cross. His DFC citation noted that his conduct was "an example for his fellow fliers."

Having completed a one-year tour of duty in Europe, Sgt. Falk was rotated back to the United States in August 1944 to serve on a training base as an instructor. In February 1945 he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal.

On March 10, 1945, he took off on a routine training mission. Seven miles off the coast of Montauk Point, Long Island, New York, the B-24J #42-50975 suffered catastrophic mechanical failure. The aircraft plummeted to the ocean surface and crashed. Neither the plane or any survivors were recovered. All twelve airmen aboard the flight were listed as missing in action and their bodies lost at sea.

In addition to T/Sgt. Harold E. Falk, the other eleven men who died that day were Pilot 2nd Lt. Howard B. Tolle, Cpl. Phillip W. Ayers, Cpl. William F. Budka, 2nd Lt. Ramon G. Bushee, Cpl. Carl E. Carlson, Cpl. Charles R. Clark, Cpl. Donald J. Finger, 2nd Lt. David H. Richey, 2nd Lt. George F. Ruf, Cpl. John W. Shedlock and Cpl. Russell L. White.

News of Harold Eugene Falk's loss reached the Falk family just days later. All four of the Falk boys were in the service at the time. While the Falk family and the community mourned the loss of another boy from Brookline, a Gold Star replaced one of the four Blue Service Stars on the window of the home at 2070 Pioneer Avenue.

* Written by Clint Burton: May 21, 2018 *

A soldier of the Old Guard stands watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Brookline War Memorial

Listed below are many of the sons of Brookline who gave their
lives to preserve freedom and contain aggression during
World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.
Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”
General George S. Patton
 

World War I (1917-1919)

The World War I Memorial - Washington D.C.

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World War II (1941-1945)

The World War II Memorial - Washington D.C.

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Korean War (1950-1953)

Korean War Memorial - Washington D.C.

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Vietnam War (1965-1973)

Vietnam War Memorial - Washington D.C.

The Brookline Monument - The Cannon

<Brookline War Memorial> <> <Brookline History>