Joe Palatas
| Date and Place of Birth: | June 24, 1921 Cleveland, OH |
| Date and Place of Death: | April 11, 1944 Altengrabow, Germany |
| Baseball Experience: | Minor League |
| Position: | Outfield |
| Rank: | Flight Officer |
| Military Unit: | 325th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force USAAF |
| Area Served: | European Theater of Operations |
Joseph M. Palatas, the son of Michael and Anna Palatas, was born in
Cleveland, Ohio, and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals' organization
in 1942 He was assigned to the Springfield Cardinals of the Class C
Middle-Atlantic League, where he played center field under manager Walt
Alston. In late May, he was optioned - along with Johnny Griggs and Ed
Moran - to the Washington Red Birds of the Class D Penn
State Association and batted .278 with 56 RBIs in 107 games. Palatas was
expected to join the Springfield Cardinals of the Class C Western
Association for the 1943 season but entered military service in
September
1942.
Palatas trained as a bombardier with the Army Air Force, and after
earning a commission as a Flight Officer, he trained other bombardiers
in the United States.
In January 1944, he was assigned to the 325th Bomb Squadron of the 92nd Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force at Poddington, England. On April 11, 1944, on only his second mission, Palatas was the bombardier on a Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress (#42-97240), piloted by Second Lieutenant Robert Rasmussen, that was headed for a bombing raid over the industrial center of Stettin, north of Berlin, Germany. Severe anti-aircraft fire was encountered over the target area, and the B-17 was crippled, forcing the crew to bale out. Critically wounded, Palatas was captured by German troops and taken to the hospital at Stalag 11a Prisoner of War camp in Altengrabow, Germany, where he succumbed to his wounds the same day.
His remains were later returned to the United States and now rest in Calvary Cemetery, Ohio.
|
Team |
League |
Class |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
AVG |
|
| 1942 | Springfield | Mid-Atlantic | C | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1942 | Washington | Penn State Assoc | D | 107 | 395 | 80 | 110 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 56 | .278 |
Joe Palatas (back row, third from left) with his B-17 Flying Fortress crew
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
Thanks to Barb Blystone and Cheryl Palatas for help with this biography.
Date Added February 4, 2012 Updated May 28, 2016
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