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Leo D Kutch of Gary Indiana killed in South Pacific in WWII

Leo D Kutch of Gary Indiana killed in South Pacific in WWII

Posted: 10 May 2005 4:25AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 27 Jun 2005 4:36AM GMT
Surnames: dwiggins, ingram
Leo D. Kutch of Gary, Indiana was killed September 9, 1945, while serving in the south Pacific during World War II.

He is officially listed as missing or buried at sea and his name appears on the “Tablets of the Missing” at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. We are seeking information regarding his military and civilian life and especially locate any family members still living so we can send them the free photograhs of his grave site and the beautiful memorial in the Philippines.

I am a retired Hoosier from Madison County residing in the Philippines with my Filipino wife. We are seeking family and military information about servicemen from your county killed in the South Pacific during World War II. There are 17,206 Americans buried here and thousands more that are missing or buried at sea and are honored on the “Tablets of the Missing”. Please visit our website to see the beautiful memorial located in Manila, Philippines.

http://fizkid.tripod.com/

My wife and I visited the cemetery as visitors and left with a mission in our heart. We have been taking photographs of the graves of the Indiana servicemen buried here and have been uniting them (at no charge) with their family members in Indiana and across the United States. To receive the photo of your family member, neighbor or friend all you need is a working email address. We do not send them to regular mailing addresses due to the costs. Please help us find the families of the men that might still be living. Our project is only successful because of teamwork and your contributions are noted on our website. If you wish to help us we will be pleased to add your name to our ACKNOWLEDGMENT page on the website. The obituaries usually did not appear till to three months after the death date.

If you are not a genealogist you can help by just picking up the telephone directory and find someone with the same last name and give them a call. It has worked many times for us.

Zenas5@yahoo.com

Sincerely,

Dave and Apple Dwiggins
San Pablo City, Philippines

Attachments:

Re: Leo D Kutch of Gary Indiana killed in South Pacific in WWII

Posted: 4 Mar 2008 4:54AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Kutch
My mothers last name was Kutch. I dont know if we are of the same "family" but I have recently started tracing my family roots and ran across your name on one of the sites i visited on my computer.

Re: Leo D Kutch of Gary Indiana killed in South Pacific in WWII

Posted: 4 Mar 2008 7:55AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Kutch, Swan,
Hello, if you figure you are part of the Kutch family and are interested, please let us know and we will send you photos of the memorial where he is honored.

Leo D. Kutch
Native of Indiana, born 1925
White Citizen, single with no dependents
Enlisted at Indianapolis, IN; July 21, 1943
First Lieutenant
United States Army Air Corps
531st Bomber Squadron, 380th Bomber Group
Service Number 35149138
Service Number 2027166
Gary – Lake County – Indiana
DOD September 9, 1945
Missing or Buried at Sea
His name is honored on the “Tablets of the Missing” at
Manila American Cemetery – Philippines
Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters

Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law.


Gary Post Tribune, page 1
October 13, 1945

Two Gary boys who played together as children in Glen Park became victims of the war on opposite sides of the globe, it was learned today when the war department reported Pvt. Benny V. Grochowski killed in action February 2 in France and 1st Lieutenant Leo D. Kutch missing since September 9, 1945 on a flight from Manila to Okinawa. Lieutenant Kutch, age 20, is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kutch, 333 Pierce, to be a casualty of war. Pfc. Herman Kutch, age 22, was killed in July 1944, at Saipan. The airman, navigator on a 8-24 attached to the famed 385th “Flying Circus” squadron, took off at 9 a.m., September 9, from Manila on the return leg of a 100-plane flight carrying Americans freed from Jap prison camps. His plane failed to return to its base at Okinawa and no word has been received concerning it. First indication that Kutch might be missing came a week ago when his family learned that another member of the crew was lost. A war department telegram yesterday made it official and today additional confirmation was received in a letter from the parents of the plane’s regular pilot who was not aboard on the fatal mission. Kutch had completed approximately 30 battle missions over the Philippines, Indo-China, Formosa, Borneo and the China coast since going to the Pacific in January. He was based on Mindoro until recently when he was transferred to Okinawa for patrol and ferry work from Japan to the Philippines. While at Mindoro, he lived next to another Gary officer, Lieutenant Jan Swan, 545 Kentucky, who was killed June 18th. Graduating from Horace Mann High School in June 1943, Kutch entered service in August and was commissioned a flight officer at Ellington Field Texas in October of last year. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant more than a month ago. Before entering service, he worked for a few weeks in the Gary sheet and tin mill but earlier had been employed in Gary works, doing a full-time job as a war worker while he was still in class.

The Kutch’s’ third son, Joseph also was in service for a time before receiving a medical discharge.

Reference:
Indianapolis Star
August 25, 1942
Page 11, column 4


Attachments:

Re: Leo D Kutch of Gary Indiana killed in South Pacific in WWII

Posted: 11 Nov 2012 7:34PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 11 Nov 2012 7:35PM GMT
Surnames: Kutch
This was my uncle. My father was his oldest brother, Joseph. Joseph passed away in October, 2010 at the age of 90. I don't think a day ever went by without him thinking of his two brothers, whom he considerd his best friends. He named my late brother, Leo Herman after them. There are three remaining siblings left, Patricia, Joanne and Peter. I'm wondering if you were able to contact them? If not, please let me know and I will.
Thank you so much. I'm so glad I found this post.

Re: Leo D Kutch of Gary Indiana killed in South Pacific in WWII

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 1:03AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Kutch
Please send a working email address so I can send the photos and information.
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