Joseph V. Michl, Jr.

Second Lieutenant

United States Army Air Force

Joseph V. Michl, Jr., the son of Joseph V. and Anna (Kerner) Michl, was killed when his bomber crashed near Venice, Florida.

Joseph, a graduate of Saint Ambrose Academy (Class of 1934), enlisted in the United States Army where he was eventually assigned to the medical detachment of the 185th Field Artillery.  Finishing a noncommissioned officer’s medical service course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, he read an announcement in the paper that the United States Army Air Force would take men over 18 years of age.  He applied at their headquarters in San Antonio, Texas for admittance, and on an afternoon off, passed the physical and mental tests.  Without even the knowledge of his commanding officer, he was appointed as a flying cadet.  Joseph received his commission as a Second Lieutenant and wings at Brooks Field, Texas.  He was stationed at Drew Field in Tampa, Florida as an instructor for dive bomber pilots at the time of his death.

Joseph was survived by his parents and two brothers, Edwin (a Staff Sergeant with the United States Army stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina) and Sylvester (an Apprentice Seaman with the United States Navy stationed at Great Lakes, Illinois). 

Second Lieutenant Joseph V. Michl, Jr., United States Army Air Force, is buried in Davenport’s Mount Calvary Cemetery.

Source of Information:

1.  Newspaper clippings from Joseph V. Michl III via email on 28 December 2003.  Joseph is Joseph V. Michl Jr.’s nephew.

2.  Saint Ambrose Academy school newspaper, The Saint Ambrose Academy News, 28 September 1944, page 1.

3.  Saint Ambrose Academy school newspaper, The Saint Ambrose Academy News, 12 October 1944, page 1.

4.  Davenport Democrat and Times, 28 March 1943, page 6.

5.  National Archives, World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel for the State of Iowa.

6.  National World War II Memorial veteran’s registry; http://www.wwiimemorial.com/.

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