REETZKE Lyle F - 380 FS 363 FG

Lyle F. REETZKE

REETZKE_Lyle_F

Source : Brian Jodi Kueker

NUMBER OF SERVICE

O-810565

AGE

20 yo

DATE OF BIRTH

12 January 1924 Chicago Ridge, Cook County, ILLINOIS

ENLISTMENT STATE

ILLINOIS

FAMILY

Parents : Frank Ludwig & Anna (Koehler) REETZKE

RANK

Second Lieutenant

FONCTION

Pilot

JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT

General industry clerks

DATE of ENLISTEMENT

8 September 1942 Chicago ILLINOIS

SQUADRON

380^th Fighter Squadron

GROUP

363^rd Fighter Group

ARMY

9^th US Air Force

DATE OF DEATH

25 June 1944

REETZKE_Lyle_F

Source : Andy

STATUS

KIA

PLACE OF DEATH

Sector Coulmer

DATA PLAN

P-51 Mustang - type B-5 - s/n 43-6443

P51 Mustang

Macr : 6212
Mission : Armed reconnaissance towards Chartres
Take off station 413 Staplehurst, Kent
Parachute evacuated plane - 3:30 p.m.

CEMETERY TEMPORARY

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of St Corneille (Le Mans) N°3576

Saint Corneille Cemetery, Le Mans

Story of Cemetery Temporary

Plot	Row	Grave
B	4	79-524

CEMETERY

NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE

Plot	Row	Grave
P	6	4

DECORATION

Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

World War II Victory Medal

Brevet Pilot

Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

victory medal

combat infantryman badge

STORY

Second Lieutenant Lyle Frank Reetzke, born 12 Jan 1924, was the son of Rev. Frank Ludwig Reetzke and Anna (Koehler) Reetzke of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
In the 1940 census 16-year-old Lyle is living with his parents and siblings Faith 14 and Philip 9 at 614 N 16th in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois. His father is the minister for the Hope Evangelical Church in Springfield. Their 1935 residence was listed in Chicago. His father was a tailor before he became a minister. Lyle had an older sister Norma, born in 1909, who was already out of the household by the 1940 census.
The family moved to El Paso, Woodford County, Illinois. El Paso is 19 miles due north of Bloomington and 35 miles due east of Peoria. His father is the pastor at the Evangelical Church in El Paso.
Lyle's sister, Faith, died in El Paso 3 Sep 1941 at age 15.
On his 1942 draft registration Lyle listed his residence in El Paso but his mailing address as 3333 North Marshfield in Chicago. He works for Montgomery Ward & Company. 3333 North Marshfield is the Lake View YMCA so he's temporarily living at the YMCA and working at Montgomery Wards. Since 1931, The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago offered housing to Men in the Chicagoland area.
In 1943 the family moved back to the Chicago area to Englewood on the southwest side of Chicago. Rev Frank was the pastor of the Englewood Evangelical Church at 901 W 66th. They lived in the rectory at 907 W 66th.
Lt Reetzke flew P-51 Mustangs with the 380th Fighter Squadron of the 363rd Fighter Group. The 363rd Fighter Group entered combat from England in February 1944, flying bomber escort and ground-strafing missions out of Staplehurst Airfield 43 mi SE of London. They took part in the invasion of Normandy, protecting gliders and troop carriers on 6 and 7 June.
Lt Reetzke was FTR (failed to return) from a mission on 25 Jun 1944. The NARA WWII casualty listings for Illinois show Reetzke, Lyle F, 2 Lt from Cook County as FOD (Finding of Death). A finding of death was determined at least one year and one day from the date a soldier, sailor or airman went missing in action. His body must have been recovered after the war.
Lyle's father died 10 Sep 1945 at age 62 never knowing what became of Lyle.

REETZKE_Lyle_F