Funeral for Sgt. John Kalausich – Lost During World War II

| February 17, 2019

Last month, DPAA announced that it had accounted for Sgt. John Kalausich, US Army Air Forces. Sgt. Kalausich was lost in Germany in March 1945.

Per DPAA, Sgt. Kalausich will be buried later this week – on Saturday, 23 February 2019, to be precise – in Charleston, WV. Regrettably, DPAA does not seem to have posted the location for his funeral or interment.

If any TAH readers have the precise location for either the funeral or interment, please post it in comments below. And if any readers are in that area and have the time, here’s an opportunity to give someone lost in World War II a proper final send-off.

Category: Blue Skies, We Remember

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Claw

Visiting hours are from 6 pm to 8 pm Friday, 22 Feb at the Bollinger Funeral Home (420 Lee Street West) in Charleston.

Funeral Service will be at 11 am Saturday, 23 Feb at Christ Church United Methodist (1221 Quarrier Street) in Charleston.

Final resting place will be at Tyler Mountain Memorial Gardens (5233 Rocky Ford Road) in Charleston.

RIP, Fellow Airman

IDC SARC

RIP

AnotherPat

Following Claw’s lead:

This is the Obituary on SGT Kalausich from the Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail. It has a very nice picture of him as well as his family background, his Service and his recovery.

Rest In Peace, SGT Kalausich. You were not forgotten. Salute.

Bring Them All Home.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/obituaries/john-kalausich/article_282a2e68-2328-5ed8-9911-63ca366d8a47.html

5th/77th FA

When I saw this post (1st thing) earlier this morning, I knew I would it wouldn’t be long before the usual suspects, Thank ye Claw & AnotherPat, would have the information requested. It’s kinda sorta what they do. A big Thanks, again, to Hondo for bringing this Warrior back to our attention.

Several things I’ve noticed on these welcome home posts that I believe are worth noting. Number 1, a lot of these warriors are either children of immigrants, or they are immigrants themselves as in first generation. These are people who left their home, usually European, became citizen and volunteered to go back and fight in a war, sometimes on or near their ancestral lands. They went willingly, sometimes knowing they could be fighting against their own kin.
Next is the young age. So many still in their teens or early 20s. How many of today’s youth have joined at 17/18 became a SGT in 2 years, and then gave their life for their (adopted) country?
And finally, the listing of their survivors. It’s always just maybe a brother, seldom, or a sister with maybe a niece or nephew or so. Often it will only be a distant cousin. These young men never had a chance to marry and start a family of their own. Thank God that such men lived.

Welcome Home SGT John Kalausich, God’s Peace to your Family. We Salute and Honor your Service and Sacrifice.

AW1Ed

Welcome home.

Green Thumb

Welcome home, SGT.

Rest well.

OWB

Thanks for the additional information, all.

Sparks

Welcome home Brother and rest in peace in your home soil.

HMC Ret

Died a few weeks before the ware in Europe ended. I am humbled by your sacrifice, Sir.

PLASTIC DUCK

Here is a link that includes his crew members with funeral of 2nd Lt. Lynn W. Hadfield,Sgt. Vernon Hamilton sas also found. All credit to the German researcher Adolf Hagedorn for finding the crash site. https://kutv.com/news/local/utahns-remains-killed-in-wwii-identified-will-be-buried-in-sandy—-“Hadfield joined the Air Force from Utah was part of the 642nd Bombardment Squadron, 409th Bombardment Group, 9th Bombardment Division, 9th Air Force, and was piloting an A-26B, when anti-aircraft fire struck his plane that then went down and went missing.

He was part of a combat mission from Couvron, France, to Dülmen, Germany. Hadfield, along with two crewmen — Sgt. Vernon Hamilton and Sgt. John Kalausich — were attempting to obstruct troop movement as the Allies prepared to cross the Rhine River on March 23, 1945.”–
My father was on the ground at the time acting as a Royal Engineer for the crossing so it means something to me.

PLASTIC DUCK

Link –for a more graphic description of the action http://www.miaproject.net/mia-search-recoveries/invaders-end/

RGR 4-78

Rest in Peace.