Pilot onboard 42-31036 (Nobody's Baby)

     Frank was born Dec 14, 1918, New Springfield, Ohio.

     He was one of 8 children.
     His Parents were from Croatia, they met and married here in the US.

     He was graduated from Springfield Townshi High School in 1936.
     He was employed by the Republic Steel Corporation in Youngstown.

     He was a mechanic in the US Army when the war broke out ( relatively safe position).
     On June 27, 1940 he volunteered and was accepted for flight training for B-17's.
     Frank was training on B-17's, using the Norden bomb sight in Lafayette Louisiana where he met his wife.

     On June 4, 1943, he married Mary Anne Crouchet, daughter of Michel Fabian Crouchet and Marie Coles.
     In Nov 1943 he arrived in England to join the 401st BG

     His last mission, Feb 4, 1944, Target: Frankfurt, after dropping bombs the plane was hit by flak.
     They believed to have crashed in the North Sea as no evidence of their crash or bodies were ever found.

     He was awarded with an Air Medal and a Purple Heart Medal

     In 1944, when Frank died on the age of 25 he left behind his family :


         His father,   Stephen Zitkovic, age 58
         His mother, Barbara Zitkovic, age 55
         His brother, Mike Zitkovic, age 34
         His brother, Charles Zitkovic, age 29
         His brother, Mike Zitkovic, age 34
         His sister,     Elizabeth Zitkovic, age 22
         His sister,     Mary Zitkovic, age 20
         His brother, John Zitkovic, age 18
         His brother, George Zitkovic, age 17
         His sister,     Ann Zitkovic, age 15
         His brother, Thomas Zitkovic, age 12

         His wife, Mary Anne Zitkovic, his son Frank Zitkovic was born 3 months later, May 1, 1944

     This is Frank's father:

     Stephen Zitkovic

     Mr. Zitkovic was born Feb 16, 1885, in St. Martin, Croatia, a son
     of Frank and Francea Zitkovich, and came to the US, 58 years ago.
     He had lived in Youngstown 30 years and the past 28 years in
     New Springfield.

     A retired carpenter, he had worked 42 years for Republic Steel Corp.
     Mr. Zitkovich was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Church, the
     Croatian Fraternal Union No. 435 and a charter member of the
     American Croatian Citizens Club.

     This is Frank's mother:

     Barbara Zitkovic

     Mrs. Zitkovic was born Apr 24, 1889, in St. Martin, Croatia, a
     daughter of Stephen and Barbara Terihay.
     She came to this country in 1907 and to New Springfield in 1932
     from Youngstown.

     She was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Church, American Croatian
     Citizens Club, and the Infant Jesus of Prague Guild at St. Matthias
     Church.

     She was married in 1907 to Stephen Zitkovic who died in 1960.

           Stephen and Barbara are buried in Calvary Cemetery, Youngstown, Mahoning County, OH.

     Frank enlisted in the air corps June 27, 1940
     In April 1943 he recieved his "wings".
     He trained at Blightsville, Arkansas.
     The plane he is sitting in is a T-39 trainer.

     The picture was taken when he went thru initial
     Pilot training.
     When he left the relative safe job of aircraft
     mechanic for pilot training, it took over a year to
     work to bomber training, then another 6 months
     of training on the 4 engine B-17..


     When you think about it, he spent 1-1/2 year training, then performed only 3 missions in the 2 months he
     was in Europe before he was lost.