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Service Details |
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Last Rank
First Lieutenant
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Last Primary AFSC/MOS
AAF MOS 1055-Pilot, Single-Engine Fighter
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Last AFSC Group
Pilot (Officer)
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Primary Unit
1951-1952, AAF MOS 1055, 5th Air Force
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Service Years
1945 - 1952
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Personal Details
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Home State
New York | |
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Year of Birth
1927 |
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This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Sgt Sgt. D.L. Kimbrow ("Skip")
to remember
Bitzer, Medon Armin (Korea/RF-51D), 1st Lt.
If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
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Casualty Info
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Home Town
New York City |
Last Address
Johnson City, Tennessee
San Francisco, California
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Casualty Date
Jan 08, 1952 |
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Cause
Hostile, Died while Missing |
Reason
Air Loss, Crash - Land |
Location
Korea |
Conflict
Korean War |
Location of Interment
Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial - Honolulu, Hawaii |
Wall/Plot Coordinates
Not Specified |
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Last Known Activity
1st Lt. Bitzer was the pilot of an RF-51D Mustang fighter bomber (#44-74515) with the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group.
On 8 January 1952, while on a combat mission, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, burst into flames and crashed. His remains were not recovered.
He had enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1945 after graduating from high school. He then was selected for West Point, 1946-1950. He received his basic flight training at Goodfellow AFB, Texas, completing this in January 1951.
He flew the F-51 in training, and completed advance training, receiving his wings in August 1951, as well as his orders for Korea. He was assigned to the Mustang group at WonJu, Korea with the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron 18th Fighter Bomber Group.
"On 8 January 1952, he was on his 15th mission, a dual purpose, two target, fighter strike in North Korea. Don dropped his bombs on the railroad deep in enemy territory; then on the return trip to his base, hit an important secondary target of supplies and personnel near the front lines, with his rockets and machine gun fire. As he broke away from the target after firing his first rocket, he and his aircraft were hit by enemy automatic weapons antiaircraft fire. Because he was hit personally and was at a low altitude, he was unable to abandon his burning aircraft and crashed into the target area."
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Comments/Citation
Not Specified
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