(courtesy of James Pletsch)

Grave marker for Francis E. Pletsch in the Beverly Cemetery, Blue Island (Cook county), Illinois.

Francis enlisted in the Army on 2 March 1943 and volunteered for parachutist duty.

Pvt Pletsch was wounded in action on 29 January 1945 in Belgium.

His military decorations include the Purple Heart and the Bronze Service Arrowhead for the Holland campaign and Airborne operations.