Paul F. Kisak Sr. was a Son, a Brother, a Husband, ...

Paul F. Kisak Sr. was a Son, a Brother, a Husband, a Father, an Uncle, a Soldier, a decorated Flight Officer during WWII, an athlete (played softball for Rudy’s Grill and became known as Ozark for his power-hitting capability, a business owner, a business executive, a devout Catholic, an accomplished pilot, a Knight of Columbus, an artist, acted as a doctor(Dr. Bun) in a High School Play, a musician (skilled in accordion and organ), rode ‘shotgun’ with a race car driver as his navigator, a woodworker, a winemaker, a horticulturist, loved Polka Dancing, a life-long blood donor and a documented genius. He was extremely generous and known as a charismatic leader and very proud of his Croatian descent.

Mr. Kisak was the first of his family to be born in the United States and the first to graduate college with a Bachelors from Benjamin Franklin University, and Robert Morris College using the GI Bill and hard work. He loved to read, travel, fly, entertain and took extreme pride in his heritage, his family and his work. He was a self-made man who was meticulous, an extremely hard worker and placed a very high value on education and self-sacrifice.

Paul F. Kisak Sr. graduated from St. Mary’s High School in McKee’s Rocks Pennsylvania, Robert Morris College & Ben Franklin University with a B. A. degree in Accounting and Business.

Mr. Kisak was awarded numerous plaques from airlines for his millions of air miles and world travel. He lived in numerous countries, visited and worked in over 40 other countries both during his military service, business travels and vacation.

On 23 March 1946, B-17 #452, “Big Stuff,” a/c 44-6452 on Mission #4, bombed a benzene, oil refinery base in Rhuland, Germany at 12:20 pm and an altitude of, 28,000 feet. The crew was assigned to The 20th Bomb Squadron of the 2nd Bomb Group 15th USAAF.

At approximately 12:40 in the afternoon B-17 “Big Stuff” was struck by a considerable amount of flak and fire from ME-262’s. “Two engines were knocked out immediately” and their B-17 “Big Stuff,” headed for a crash landing near Russian lines at co-ordinates 50 deg. 15 min North 14 deg. 15 min east over Lovosice, Germany. The last contact or conversation was with left-waist gunner Russell H. Johnson and he stated “Here we go again.” No chutes were seen.

Mr. Kisak had been hit with shrapnel in his leg and back (which remained in him and caused him pain the rest of his life) and located himself in the radio room and had the crew brace themselves against him to buffer the impact of the crash. The Flying Fortress crash landed ‘wheels-up’ 3-5 miles away from Kety Poland. The crew was detained, tortured and interrogated for about 60 days by the Russians who were supposedly our allies.

The crew was listed as Missing-In-Action (MIA) and were treated as prisoners-of-war (POW’s) by the Russians. The crew was imprisoned about 60 days being moved from Krakow to Livow, to Kiev and finally to Odessa. The personal effects of Mr. Kisak show that he attempted escape in Kiev and was brutally treated and wounded by the Russians that captured him. He had said that a Russian “stabbed me in the stomach when I tried to grab a potato from the hole they kept us in.”

The crew was under Russian guard for about two months. Then all ten of the crew were sent back to Italy. The crew all boarded a British boat and returned to Italy and arrived at Naples - 7th May 1945.

During WWII he enlisted and worked his way up to the rank of Lieutenant & Flight Officer-Bombardier-Navigator for the B-17. Lt. Paul F. Kisak Sr. was a decorated WWII Veteran and Hero having served 3 years. He was awarded The US Air Medal and The US Purple Heart among others awards.

He co-founded an accounting company and was active in The White Oak Heights, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Social Community and The Greater Pittsburgh Croatian Community.

Mr. Kisak developed an expertise in ‘rescuing’ failing corporations. He worked for Blaw Know and White Consolidated Industries of Pittsburgh, PA and Northern Engineering of Detroit, Michigan where he advanced to the level of executive management. He was reviving a company, as General Manager, in Maitland, New South Wales, Australia by the name of Monosteel, at the time of his fatal car accident.

Family were noted to say “He was the most ambitious man I ever new.” Employees stated he was a “Genius and a very good leader and boss.” His employers stated he was “extremely competent, organized and would take charge.” He was known for his quotes of “My way or the highway” and “Mind over matter” when referencing the accomplishment of his goals or mission.

His mother was Barbara and Father Vid from Croatia. He married Catherine Marie Svaranowic of McKee’s Rocks and had two children; Paul F. Kisak II and Robert Paul Kisak (Bert). He also had three brothers; Walter, Thomas, George and sister Dorothy.

He is buried at the family cemetery in McKee's Rocks Pennsylvania.

This is part of his legacy.

Author: Paul F. Kisak

Date: 2017-01-20 09:06:00

Fórum id: 877547

Wpart ID: 91970565

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