wwii mystery

Harry C. Kolacinski of Milwaukee, WI: WWII Identified Studio Portrait

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eBay has been a consistent source of fantastic portraiture for PortraitsofWar for over five years.  The material that pops up on the web is easy to acquire and makes for a fun and interesting research project.  In this case, I was able to track down an identified photo of a US airman wearing a brim-up cap and sporting a light beard.   The photo is identified on the reverse as a Harry Kolacinski.

Harry Kolacinski in WWII

Harry Kolacinski in WWII

 

Harry was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI.   His major biographical information can be found below:

 

Army Record

Army Record

 

Harry’s 1936 Yearbook

HighSchoolYearBook

Harry in 1936

Harry in 1936

harry1936

Harry passed away in 1986

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WWII 388th Bomb Group – Alva Alegre Snaps Glenn Miller in Knettishall, England 1944

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August 25th, 1944,

Glenn Miller poses with some members of the 388th Bomb Group.  Only a few months later Miller went missing during a flight over the English Channel, launching a 70 year search for his wreckage.  His death is still an unknown, although many suggest that he was in fact a German spy or was possibly shot down by friendly fire. Check here for some possible leads:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2014/07/07/glenn-miller-plane-mystery-history-detectives-norseman/12268729/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-lancashire/plain/A2654822

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4406

 

Glenn Miller Poses with 388th Bomb Group Officials in Knettishall, Sussex, England

Some of Glenn’s best known hits are Moonlight Serenade, Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String of Pearls, Little Brown Jug and Tuxedo Junction.   Many of these songs are likely lost on my generation, but will be familiar to many of the readers of this blog.  Please check out the links listed below for some vintage Glenn Miller footage!

 

Glenn Miller

Another 388th Big Wig (unnamed)

 

Alva Snaps a Photo of the Glenn Miller Band Crowd