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| Lt. Dale Fisher served in the 360th Bomb Group. S. Sgt. John Fisher served in the 30th Infantry Division. Traverse City Record-Eagle 16 April 1949 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/99403060/dale-m_-fisher https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/99403110 |
Dale M. Fisher never had a chance to reach 100 years old. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
Last year I was not able to write a profile everyday from September to November because I was studying for the Certified Financial Planner test (I passed!). I feel my project to honor one U.S. serviceman for each day of the war would be incomplete if I left them off. As I have time, I am going back and adding profiles for the days I missed.
Dale was born on October 12, 1918 in Glen Arbor, Michigan. His parents Eugene and Isabelle were also both born in Michigan. Eugene, who was 41 when Dale was born, had been previously married. Eugene's first wife Lillian died following a failed hysterectomy in 1911. A son from his first marriage, named Frank, served in the 24th Engineer Regiment and was killed in World War I on March 11, 1918.
Eugene worked as a livery chauffeur and later as a state conservation fire warden. Besides Frank who died before Dale was born, Dale had two older brothers and three younger brothers. By 1940 Dale had completed four years of high school and was working as an attendant with the Grand Traverse Auto Company while living in a boarding house.
He enlisted in the army the day after the Pearl Harbor attack. He trained as an officer and bomber pilot in the Army Air Forces. He became a first lieutenant in the 360th Bombardment Squadron, 303rd Bombardment Group which was equipped with B-17 Flying Fortresses.
He married Sylvia Jacobs of Los Angelos in 1943. They had one son. He was sent overseas in May 1944.
On June 22, 1944 Lt. Fisher was flying B-17 #42-31432, nicked-named Old Glory. This plane had been put into service in January 1944 and was used for 46 mission. This was Lt. Fisher's ninth mission. The target was Lille, France. Just after it dropped its bombs, Old Glory was hit by flak, exploding the gas tank behind engine #3. It and crashed at Post-A-Tressin, near Lille. Only one crewman survived and was hid by the French until liberated by Allied troops in September.
Younger brother John was drafted into the army in April 1941. He was married to Florence Baker. They also had one son. John became a Staff Sergeant in Company B, 1st Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division. He was killed in action on July 16, 1944 during the Battle of St. Lo.
Dale and John's graves are at Oakwood Cemetery in Traverse City, Michigan. I don't know what happened to their widows or sons.
Frank's grave is at Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial in Fere-en-Tardenois, France. It is 120 miles from where Lt. Fisher was killed.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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