Colsch, John W. 1918-1944

COLSCH, MACKIN, ANDERSON, BRAHENY

Posted By: Diana Diedrich (email)
Date: 8/8/2005 at 18:07:57

Airman's Body Home To Iowa
65th Mission Was Bomber Pilot's Last

New Albin, Ia. The body of Lieut. John W. Colsch of New Albin, 26 at the time of his death, will arrive in New Albin Saturday, Aug. 6. Funeral services will be held from St. Joseph's church Monday at 9 a.m. the Rev. L. Haues officiating, with burial to take place in the Catholic cemetery south of town. Lieut. Colsch, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Colsch, was born April 18, 1918. He graduated from the New Albin high school and attended Loras college, Dubuque, Ia., one year before his enlistment in the navy in October, 1936. While at Loras he was an honor student and while training in the navy he was honor man of his company. During his four years of service he received special recognition as a bombardier and gunner and with his honorable discharge in September, 1940, he received the navy good conduct medal.

Enrolled In School
In October of 1940, he enrolled in the Curtis-Wright Aeronautical Engineering School, and later was selected as one of 150 men to write tests for the army air corps at the University of Southern California. He was accepted to train as an aviation cadet at Caledo academy, Ontario, Calif., where the movie "Keep 'em Flying" was made and in which he appeared as flag bearer for his company. He was sent to Stockton field; Calif., where he completed his course and received his wings and commission.

After he had graduated from Stockton field March 19, 1942, he was sent to Las Vegas army air field as a gunnery instructor for 14 months. From there he went to Dodge City army air field, Kans., MacDill field, Avon Park, Fla., Lake Charles air field, La., and Hunter field, Ga., for training in combat flying. When he finished training he was transferred to Pocatello, Ida., and later to Wendover field, Utah, where he checked crews who were to be sent into combat flying.

Flew From States
He flew from the United States on Jan. 27, 1944, with his five crew members, who, with the exceptiion of one, were still together on their 65th and last mission. This was his last required mission before he was to be flight commander and formation leader of his bombing group.

His crew members were to come home the following week but he had been asked to remain a little longer. During his combat flying he had earned the air medal with three silver oak leaf clusters and two bronze stars.

It was on Aug. 13, 1944, Lieut. Colsch made his last bombing mission. It was over Cherisy, France. On Aug. 23, 1945, his family received word from the was department replacing the "missing in action" status of their son with a "presumptive finding of death" status.
Besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Colsch, New Albin, he is survived by one brother Peter, New Albin; and three sisters, Mrs. Barry (Cecelia) Braheny and Mrs. Ellen Anderson, both of Mason City, and Mrs. Jerome (Mary) Mackin, of Wisconsin. One brother preceded him in death.

~La Crosse Tribune Pau.,7, 1949 page 14

_____ _____ ______

Added 6/15/2020 by S. Ferrall

Mrs. W. Barry Braheny, 543 1st S.E. had word Tuesday that her brother, Lt. John Colsch, was missing in action in the European theater of operations. Lt. Colsch had over 65 missions to his credit. He was a first pilot on a marauder and recently had been made squadron leader. He entered the service from New Albin and had frequently visited in Mason City while attending Loras college in Dubuque. Mrs. Braheny, whose husband is a seaman 2/c attending radio school at Farragut, Idaho, plans to leave Mason City to live indefinitely with her parents at New Albin. The Brahenys have 2 children, John and Dan. Lt. Colsch's 2 other sisters, Mary Colsch Mackin and Mrs. Emerson Anderson, formerly lived in Mason City.

~Mason City Globe-Gazette, August 30, 1944
_____ ______ ______

News articles & photos from a scrapbook, were added by Errin Wilker, November 5, 2013:

MISSING IN ACTION
Mr. and Mrs. Leo Colsch of New Albin, received word Tuesday in a telegram from the War Department that their son, Lt. John Colsch is missing in action in France since Aug. 13. Further particulars will be sent them as soon as possible from the department. Lt. Colsch made all the daily papers a couple of months ago in a story written by a Des Moines war correspondent. All relatives and friends here sincerely hope that good news will soon be forthcoming about him.

----- -----

LT. JOHN COLSCH LOST IN ACTION IN FRANCE

Mr. and Mrs. Leo Colsch of this place received a letter from the War Department on Oct. 16th, which in part, stated:

"Further information has been received indicating that Lt. Colsch was the pilot of a B-26 (Marauder) bomber which participated in a bombing mission to France on August 13th. Full details are not available, but the report indicates that during this mission at about 7:85 p.m., in the vicinity of the target your son’s bomber sustained damage from enemy anti-aircraft fire, left the formation and went into a spin. The report further indicates that one parachute was observed to leave the disabled craft before it fell to the earth and inasmuch as the crew members of accompanying planes were unable to furnish any further details regarding the loss of Lt. Colsch’s bomber, these facts, constitute all the information presently obtainable.

On Oct. 6th, the Colsch family received a letter from Brig. Gen. S.E. Anderson, commander of the Ninth Bomber Command, in which he wrote: "Please accept my sincere sympathy. John was a splendid pilot, highly respected by the members of his crew and all those who knew him. His loss is deeply felt by his comrades. His devotion to duty and to our country was unswerving and merited the highest praise. Again, please accept my deepest sympathy."

Mr. and Mrs. Colsch and family have the sincere sympathy of the entire community in their great loss of Lieutenant John who gave his life for his country, and his memory will long be remembered as a hero who gave his all in order that this country might be a better place in which to live.

----- -----

MEMORIAL MASS HELD FOR LT. JOHN W. COLSCH

A Memorial Mass of Requiem for 1st Lt. John W. Colsch was held in St. Joseph's Church on Aug. 30 at 9 a.m. Rev. L. Hayes officiated and delivered the sermon. After the Mass, the American Legion Post of Lansing and New Albin conducted the military rites under the direction of Lt. H.W. Gaunitz. "Taps" were sounded and the American flag was presented to Mrs. Colsch. Honorary pall bearers were Frank Morgan, Oscar Smerud, Louis Hammel, Ignatius Imhoff, C.E. Moore and Peter Hosch. Peter Whalen and Lawrence Bakewell were the ushers.

Lt, Colsch, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Colsch, was born April 28, 1918. he was graduated from the New Albin high school and attended Loras College, Dubuque, one year before his enlistment in the Navy in October, 1936. While at Loras he was an "honor" student and while training in the Navy he was "Honor Man" of his company. During his four years in that branch of the service he received special recognition as a bombardier and gunner and with his honorable discharge in Sept. 1940 he received the Navy Good Conduct Medal. In Oct. of 1940, he enrolled in the Curtis-Wright Aeronautical Engineering School. In May 1941, he was selected as one of 150 young men to write the tests for the Army Air Corps at the University of Southern California. His parents were notified that he had received the second highest score and was accepted to train as an Aviation Cadet at Caledo Academy, Ontario, Calif., where the movie "Keep Em' Flying" was made and he became personally acquainted with its stars, Abbot and Costello and Martha Raye. He appeared in the picture as the flag bearer for his company. While this first phase of his training was completed, he was sent to Stockton Field at Stockton, Calif., where he completed his course and received his "Wings" and commission. During the past week his parents received a letter from H.H. Arnold, Commanding General of the Army Air Forces, which stated in part, "The praiseworthy record attained by Lt. Colsch at Stockton Field has come to my attention, and I have been informed that in subsequent assignments his manner of performance was worthy of commendation."

Upon his graduation at Stockton Field March 19, 1942 he was sent to Las Vegas Army Air Field as a gunnery instructor for 14 months. From there he was assigned to the Dodge City (Kans.) Army Air Field, MacDill Field, Avon Park, Fla., Lake Charles (La.) Army Air Field and Hunter Field, Ga., for training in combat flying. When he finished this training he was transferred to Pocatello, Idaho and later to Wendover Field, Utah where he "checked" crews who were to be sent into combat flying.

He flew from the United States on Jan. 27, 1944 with his five crew members, who with the exception of one, were with him in their 65th and last mission. In his last letter to his parents, written Aug. 11, he told that he had been assigned flight commander and formation leader f his bombing group. Since that was his last required mission, his crew members were to come home the following week but he had been asked to remain a little longer. During his combat flying he had earned the Air Medal with 3 silver oak leaf clusters for Meritorious Action and 2 bronze stars and the Purple Heart is to be awarded posthumously, his parents were informed.

It was on Aug, 13, 1944 from a bombing mission to Cherisy, France, that he failed to return. On Aug. 23, 1945 the Colsch family received a letter from the War Dept. which replaced the "missing in action" status with "a presumptive finding of death."

During the past year, his family has received many letters from his commanding officers in the 9th Air Force expressing their sympathy and commenting on his remarkable personality. Everyone, from shipmate to cadet, to fellow officers and superiors and his crew knew him not as "sir" not Lt. Colsch but simply as "Smiley," a name which he had from "boot" camp in the navy.

Besides his parents, John is survived by one brother Peter, of New Albin, and by three sisters, Mrs. Barney (Cecelia) Braheny, temporarily living at home, Mrs. Jerome (Mary) Mackin of Omaha, Nebr., and Mrs. Emerson (Ellen) Anderson of St. Joseph, Mo., all of whom were present at the Memorial Mass. A brother preceded him in death.

MISSING
When the anxious hearts say "where"
He doth answer "In My Care."
Is it life or is it death?
Wait, He whispers, Child, have faith.
Did they need love's tenderness?
Is there love like mine to bless?
Were they frightened at the last?
No, the sting of death is past.
Did a thought of Home-Love rise?
I looked down through Mother-eyes.
Savior, tell us where are they?
In my keeping night and day.
Tell us, tell us, how it stands,
None shall pluck them from My Hands."
~From War Verse

CARD OF THANKS
We wish to thank our neighbors, friends and relatives for their many prayers, kindnesses and considerations during the past year of anxiety and recently for their spiritual bouquets and consoling cards and letters.

Also to the Lansing - New Albin American Legion Post for conduction the military rites for our son and brother, 1st. Lt. John W. Colsch.

Mr. and Mrs. Leo Colsch
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Colsch
PM3-c and Mrs. Barry Braheny
Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Mackin
Pvt. and Mrs. Emerson Anderson

Allamakee Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen