Herb Korenko
| Date and Place of Birth: | June 28, 1917 East Lansdowne, PA |
| Date and Place of Death: | May 29, 1943 St. Nazaire, France |
| Baseball Experience: | College |
| Position: | Infield |
| Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Military Unit: | 366th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group, USAAF |
| Area Served: | European Theater of Operations |
Herb Korenko was an outstanding baseball and football player in high school and college who was looking forward to getting home from Europe for a life of deserved peace.
Herbert P. "Herb" Korenko was born in East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania on
June 28,
1917. He graduated from Lansdowne High School in 1935 having excelled in
baseball in football. He attended Muhlenberg College after high school
where he played the infield on the baseball team and was a center with
the football squad.
Korenko graduated in 1939 receiving the bachelor of philosophy degree.
He went to work as a credit manager with the Household Finance
Corporation in Camden, New Jersy,
and joined the Pennsylvania National Guard.
In January 1942, Korenko transferred from the National Guard to the
USAAF and was commissioned a second lieutenant after completing the
Bombardier Training Program in August of that year.
On February 17, 1943, he was assigned to the 366th Bomb Squadron, 305th
Bomb Group, stationed at Chelveston, England. The Muhlenberg College
Alumni Magazine received a letter from Korenko as he made the crossing
over the Atlantic:
At present I am headed overseas in a flying fortress into the
theater of combat where they play for keeps. I am very anxious and glad
to be playing a vital part to bring this war to a quicker end with us on
top so that I and millions of others can return to a life of deserved
peace.
Where I am going or by what route is something I can't disclose, but you
can rest assured I'll be in the thick of it blowing up plenty with our
supper ships.
Give my regards to all Muhlenberg men whom I pity for not being able to
accompany me on this exciting experience.
The Muhlenberg College Alumni Magazine received another letter from
Korenko dated April 12, 1943:
Somewhere in England
A brief word to let you know where I am and what I'm doing.
Since arriving over here a great deal has happened. Aside from my
exciting work on raids in our great "Forts," I've had time to see much
of England. They're not much different in this country, except war and
its effects are closer to home. I'm really having the time of my life
mixed with a bit of dangerous adventure.
We have a big job to do, and to date it's being done well. When it's
over and won, I'll be back to tell you about it. You haven't lived until
you've flown a bomber into combat.
On May 29, 1943, just seven weeks after writing Muhlenberg College,
Second Lieutenant Korenko's Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was brought down
by German anti-aircraft fire at St. Nazaire, France. It was the crew's
24th mission - one away from completing their tour of duty - and only
one crew member survived. Korenko's parents were notified he was missing
in action in early June and on July 30 his death was confirmed.
Herb Korenko is buried at the Brittany American Cemetery in St-James,
France. On November 21, 1943, the USAAF posthumously awarded Second
Lieutenant Korenko the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and presented it
to his father.
Thanks to Diane Koch, Special Collections Librarian, Muhlenberg College Trexler Library for help with this biography. Excerpts taken from "The Ultimate Sacrifice" - Greater Lansdowne Civic Association. Thanks also to Astrid van Erp for help with photos for this biography.
Date Added July 28, 2012. Updated July 31, 2017
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