John Jacob Birky, World War II CasualtyPorter County Data on World War II Casualties . . . .
John Jacob Birky
Leading Aircraftman, Royal Canadian Air Force, R-145017
Date of Birth: August 17, 1917
Date of Death: October 1, 1942
Burial: Graceland Cemetery, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Cause of Death: Aircraft Crash (training mission in Centralia, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Enlistment: November 27, 1941
Hometown: Valparaiso (Washington Township)
Service Note: John Jacob Birky was one of thousands of Americans enlisted in the
Royal Canadian Air Force prior to the United States' entrance into World War II
on December 8, 1941; Birky entered the Royal Canadian Air Force just twelve days
before the United States entered the war.
Newspaper Notices:
Crash Kills John Birky, RCAF Pilot
Local Young Man Dies of Injuries Suffered Wednesday
John Jacob Birky, student pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force and son of Mr.
and Mrs. J. Z. Birky, RFD 3, Valparaiso, did this morning in Centralia, Ont., of
injuries received Wednesday in a plane crash.
Word of the local young man's death was contained in a telegram to his parents.
Birky enlisted with the RCAF in November, 1941, and would have received his
wings next month, after a year of training as a bomber pilot.
Better known to his many friends here as "Johnnie," the local flier was 26 years
of age, and a graduate of Washington township high school in 1935.
Paid Fine Tribute
Miss Dorothy DeWitt, former principal at the Washington township school, today
paid fine tribute to Birky's qualities as a student, athlete and friend.
Besides being an honor scholar in his studies, the young man took a wide
interest in extra-curricular activities, participating in school, plays,
basketball and baseball.
"Teachers and pupils both thought a great deal of John," said Miss DeWitt. "He
was one of our outstanding pupils."
In his senior year, Birky was awarded highest honors for school citizenship.
For about five years he was employed by the C. J. Spindler Co., serving first in
the firm's Valparaiso store and later being transferred to Rensselaer.
Details Not Available
Details of the tragedy have not yet been received by Birky's parents, but the
accident was believed to have occurred during a night practice flight. Birky
succumbed to his injuries at 8:30 today.
By a coincidence, many local friends insist that the young man could be detected
among the group of RCAF students shown in the moving picture "Captains of the
Clouds" which was shown at the Premier theatre earlier this week and which was
built around life in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Birky enjoyed a furlough from his training duties the last two weeks of August,
visiting his relatives and friends here.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana;
October 1, 1942; Volume 16, Page 1 Column 6
Birky Services Held Sunday At Baptist Church
Memorial services for John Jacob Birky, Washington township high school
graduate, and son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Z. birky, east of Valparaiso, who met death
in a plane crash during a training flight with the Royal Canadian Air Force,
were held Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the First Baptist church, Rev. Harold
E. Garner officiating.
The church was completely filled with relatives and friends. A quartette from
the Medaryville CPS camp sang several selections. Floral tributes were many and
beautiful.
The body of the young RCAF pilot arrived in Valparaiso Saturday morning from
Centralia, Ontario, accompanied by two RCAF pilots.
Pallbearers were Willard Sutter, Ralph Birky, Clarence Good, Ross Good, Orval
Birky and Paul Egli. Burial was in Graceland cemetery.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana;
October 5, 1942; Volume 16, Page 3 Column 6
Ten Porter County Men Dead Or Missing Since U. S. Went Into War Against Japan
(BY ENG ZIMMERMAN, Sr)
"Remember Pearl Harbor" Today Valparaiso and Porter county citizens remembers
that event which transpired just a year ago today when a Japanese air squadron,
more than 100 strong, roared out of a peaceful sky to deal destruction and death
to American warships, air dromes and U. S. fighting men at Pearl Harbor.
With quietness and an air of solemnity, citizens recalled dastardly Japanese
sneak attack and resolved to "Remember Pearl Harbor" as their battlecry to
retaliate in full measure to the Japanese for their treachery in causing the
unwarranted deaths of several thousand brave members of the U. S. fighting
forces.
Not until yesterday was the full extent of the carnage at Pearl Harbor revealed
to the public on the theory that such information would have proved valuable to
the enemy.
Local Youth Wounded
Porter county had only one casualty at Pearl Harbor. He was Harold Lenburg, of
Valparaiso, who was critically wounded in the onslaught. Lenburg spent
considerable time in hospitals recovering from his wounds before he was able to
return home. He is recipient of the Purple Heart award.
Since that eventful day a year ago in the Pacific, ten Porter county men have
been included in the government's casualty lists as killed in action or missing.
First to answer the summons was Charles McKindred Proffitt, gunner on the U. S.
destroyer Jacob Jones, which was torpedoes in the Atlantic in September.
DeForest Dye, a member of the Navy, was next reported missing in the Pacific in
March. Then in May, Capt. Robert F. Ruge, of the Marine Corps, was reported
missing. Ruge had been on Bataan and Corregidor just before U. S. forces on
those points capitulated to the Japanese. Later he was promoted to the rank of
major.
Hebron Youth Missing
Another Porter county man stationed at Corregidor, Joseph Twa, of Hebron, was
also reported missing. In both the Ruge and Twa announcements it was not known
whether they were killed or captured. No further word has been received.
Next to be added to the honor roll of Porter county was the name of Glen Owens,
of Valparaiso. He was reported killed in action in the Pacific in June. His body
was buried at sea.
Soon after the announcement of young Owens' death, came word that John Hales
Bates of Hebron was missing from a carrier in the Pacific. He was a member of
the U. S. air service.
Another man to pay the supreme sacrifice was Howard L. Pumroy, of Kouts. Pumroy
was reported killed in the Solomons while fighting with the marines.
John Jacob Birky, student pilot of the Royal Canadian Air Force residing on
Valparaiso RFD 3, was killed at Centralia, Ontario, in October when a plane
which he was flying during night practice crashed. The body was brought to this
city for memorial services.
Capt. William H. Chambers of the U. S. air force was reported missing in action
since Oct. 19. He was believed to have been in Alaska region.
The latest casualty reported was Pvt. First Class Edward Smith of Valparaiso. He
was reported killed in action in the South Pacific on Nov. 18.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana;
December 7, 1942; Volume 16, Page 1 Column 6
Return to
List of
Porter County World War II Casualties
Information abstracted and transcribed by Steven R. Shook