US Army Air Force pilot killed in action during World War II. He was co-pilot of the War Eagle, a B-26 Martin Marauder that was shot down over Zulpich, Germany on Feb. 23, 1945.
Born as Lyle Arthur Honetschlager, he was the son of Arthur J. Honetschlager and Grace Muriel Adams. After his parents divorced in 1927, Lyle and his mother moved to Sacramento, California. By 1930, his mother had married Charles L. Taggart, and Lyle's last name was changed to Taggart.
After graduating from high school, Lyle attended college for one year, and then enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on Feb. 19, 1943. After being trained to pilot medium bombers, Lyle was attached to the 450th Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group.
On Feb. 23, 1945, 2nd Lt. Lyle Taggart was co-pilot of the B26 Martin Marauder "War Eagle" on a bombing mission to Zulpich, Germany. The plane left the airfield at Beauvais Tille, France with five other crewmen aboard: 1st Lt. Jack G. Cox, pilot; 2nd Lt. Edward "Murphy" Wallerstein, bombardier; SSgt. John R. Mackett, engineer-gunner, TSgt. Marion T. Evans, radio operator-gunner, and SSgt. Joseph M. Mischik, tail gunner. As the plane approached Zulpich at about 4:18 p.m., the cockpit was directly hit by anti-aircraft fire. Witnesses saw the plane crash and explode one mile east of the target and did not see any parachutes. The entire crew perished.
2nd Lt. Lyle Taggart is buried at the U. S. Margraten Cemetery in the Netherlands, along with fellow crew members SSgt. Mischik and 2nd Lt. Wallerstein. The graves of all three men were adopted and for over 60 years, have been tended and cared for by local Dutch citizens through the Adopt-A-Grave program.
The living relatives of Lyle Taggart are deeply grateful for the kindness of his sponsors. Thank you for remembering his service and honoring him as you tend his grave.
-Biography by Cindy K. Coffin
(c) 2005
Lyle's Crew Members
Here are the memorials for Lyle's crew members, who also perished when the War Eagle was shot down on Feb. 23, 1945:
First Lieutenant Jack G. Cox (Owen G. Cox, Jr.), Pilot, age 28
Staff Sergeant Joseph M. Mischik, Tail Gunner, age 20
Second Lieutenant Edward "Murphy" Wallerstein, Bombardier
Staff Sergeant John R. Mackett, Engineer/Gunner, age 29
Technical Sergeant Marion T. Evans, Radio Operator/Gunner, age 21
Born as Lyle Arthur Honetschlager, he was the son of Arthur J. Honetschlager and Grace Muriel Adams. After his parents divorced in 1927, Lyle and his mother moved to Sacramento, California. By 1930, his mother had married Charles L. Taggart, and Lyle's last name was changed to Taggart.
After graduating from high school, Lyle attended college for one year, and then enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on Feb. 19, 1943. After being trained to pilot medium bombers, Lyle was attached to the 450th Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group.
On Feb. 23, 1945, 2nd Lt. Lyle Taggart was co-pilot of the B26 Martin Marauder "War Eagle" on a bombing mission to Zulpich, Germany. The plane left the airfield at Beauvais Tille, France with five other crewmen aboard: 1st Lt. Jack G. Cox, pilot; 2nd Lt. Edward "Murphy" Wallerstein, bombardier; SSgt. John R. Mackett, engineer-gunner, TSgt. Marion T. Evans, radio operator-gunner, and SSgt. Joseph M. Mischik, tail gunner. As the plane approached Zulpich at about 4:18 p.m., the cockpit was directly hit by anti-aircraft fire. Witnesses saw the plane crash and explode one mile east of the target and did not see any parachutes. The entire crew perished.
2nd Lt. Lyle Taggart is buried at the U. S. Margraten Cemetery in the Netherlands, along with fellow crew members SSgt. Mischik and 2nd Lt. Wallerstein. The graves of all three men were adopted and for over 60 years, have been tended and cared for by local Dutch citizens through the Adopt-A-Grave program.
The living relatives of Lyle Taggart are deeply grateful for the kindness of his sponsors. Thank you for remembering his service and honoring him as you tend his grave.
-Biography by Cindy K. Coffin
(c) 2005
Lyle's Crew Members
Here are the memorials for Lyle's crew members, who also perished when the War Eagle was shot down on Feb. 23, 1945:
First Lieutenant Jack G. Cox (Owen G. Cox, Jr.), Pilot, age 28
Staff Sergeant Joseph M. Mischik, Tail Gunner, age 20
Second Lieutenant Edward "Murphy" Wallerstein, Bombardier
Staff Sergeant John R. Mackett, Engineer/Gunner, age 29
Technical Sergeant Marion T. Evans, Radio Operator/Gunner, age 21
US Army Air Force pilot killed in action during World War II. He was co-pilot of the War Eagle, a B-26 Martin Marauder that was shot down over Zulpich, Germany on Feb. 23, 1945.
Born as Lyle Arthur Honetschlager, he was the son of Arthur J. Honetschlager and Grace Muriel Adams. After his parents divorced in 1927, Lyle and his mother moved to Sacramento, California. By 1930, his mother had married Charles L. Taggart, and Lyle's last name was changed to Taggart.
After graduating from high school, Lyle attended college for one year, and then enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on Feb. 19, 1943. After being trained to pilot medium bombers, Lyle was attached to the 450th Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group.
On Feb. 23, 1945, 2nd Lt. Lyle Taggart was co-pilot of the B26 Martin Marauder "War Eagle" on a bombing mission to Zulpich, Germany. The plane left the airfield at Beauvais Tille, France with five other crewmen aboard: 1st Lt. Jack G. Cox, pilot; 2nd Lt. Edward "Murphy" Wallerstein, bombardier; SSgt. John R. Mackett, engineer-gunner, TSgt. Marion T. Evans, radio operator-gunner, and SSgt. Joseph M. Mischik, tail gunner. As the plane approached Zulpich at about 4:18 p.m., the cockpit was directly hit by anti-aircraft fire. Witnesses saw the plane crash and explode one mile east of the target and did not see any parachutes. The entire crew perished.
2nd Lt. Lyle Taggart is buried at the U. S. Margraten Cemetery in the Netherlands, along with fellow crew members SSgt. Mischik and 2nd Lt. Wallerstein. The graves of all three men were adopted and for over 60 years, have been tended and cared for by local Dutch citizens through the Adopt-A-Grave program.
The living relatives of Lyle Taggart are deeply grateful for the kindness of his sponsors. Thank you for remembering his service and honoring him as you tend his grave.
-Biography by Cindy K. Coffin
(c) 2005
Lyle's Crew Members
Here are the memorials for Lyle's crew members, who also perished when the War Eagle was shot down on Feb. 23, 1945:
First Lieutenant Jack G. Cox (Owen G. Cox, Jr.), Pilot, age 28
Staff Sergeant Joseph M. Mischik, Tail Gunner, age 20
Second Lieutenant Edward "Murphy" Wallerstein, Bombardier
Staff Sergeant John R. Mackett, Engineer/Gunner, age 29
Technical Sergeant Marion T. Evans, Radio Operator/Gunner, age 21
Born as Lyle Arthur Honetschlager, he was the son of Arthur J. Honetschlager and Grace Muriel Adams. After his parents divorced in 1927, Lyle and his mother moved to Sacramento, California. By 1930, his mother had married Charles L. Taggart, and Lyle's last name was changed to Taggart.
After graduating from high school, Lyle attended college for one year, and then enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on Feb. 19, 1943. After being trained to pilot medium bombers, Lyle was attached to the 450th Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group.
On Feb. 23, 1945, 2nd Lt. Lyle Taggart was co-pilot of the B26 Martin Marauder "War Eagle" on a bombing mission to Zulpich, Germany. The plane left the airfield at Beauvais Tille, France with five other crewmen aboard: 1st Lt. Jack G. Cox, pilot; 2nd Lt. Edward "Murphy" Wallerstein, bombardier; SSgt. John R. Mackett, engineer-gunner, TSgt. Marion T. Evans, radio operator-gunner, and SSgt. Joseph M. Mischik, tail gunner. As the plane approached Zulpich at about 4:18 p.m., the cockpit was directly hit by anti-aircraft fire. Witnesses saw the plane crash and explode one mile east of the target and did not see any parachutes. The entire crew perished.
2nd Lt. Lyle Taggart is buried at the U. S. Margraten Cemetery in the Netherlands, along with fellow crew members SSgt. Mischik and 2nd Lt. Wallerstein. The graves of all three men were adopted and for over 60 years, have been tended and cared for by local Dutch citizens through the Adopt-A-Grave program.
The living relatives of Lyle Taggart are deeply grateful for the kindness of his sponsors. Thank you for remembering his service and honoring him as you tend his grave.
-Biography by Cindy K. Coffin
(c) 2005
Lyle's Crew Members
Here are the memorials for Lyle's crew members, who also perished when the War Eagle was shot down on Feb. 23, 1945:
First Lieutenant Jack G. Cox (Owen G. Cox, Jr.), Pilot, age 28
Staff Sergeant Joseph M. Mischik, Tail Gunner, age 20
Second Lieutenant Edward "Murphy" Wallerstein, Bombardier
Staff Sergeant John R. Mackett, Engineer/Gunner, age 29
Technical Sergeant Marion T. Evans, Radio Operator/Gunner, age 21
