Jurgen Harold Pfoltner

Lorene (Pfoltner) Pfannkuch holding their nephew Jerry Callender, Jurgen Harold Pfoltner

Serial Number 17027397; Enlisted Lincoln AAF Nebraska, November 17, 1945 Technical Sergeant, Air Corps, Regular Army (Note: the accuracy of this web sourced information with serial number for various Veterans has been in conflict with quite a few of their write-ups - mostly the date of enlistment as seen below)

Harold enlisted in the Army Air Corps August 1941. The Air Corps evolved into the present-day United States Air Force. During his twenty-year career, he was stationed in Germany, the Philippines, Newfoundland, and Greenland, along with stops at various Air Force bases in the United States. He was last stationed at Lincoln Air Force Base in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he retired as a Senior Master Sergeant in August 1961.


Erika holding Iris, Debbie, Harold


Erik & Harold


Harold Pfoltner's wife Erika from Latvia. She and her sister fled Latvia during WWII.
Pat on the left & Jerry on the right

1981 Manning Centennial history book:
Harold Pfoltner enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1941. While stationed in Germany, he met Erika Berzins (a displaced person from Latvia), and they were married in 1948. After 21 years of service in the Air Force, he retired, and since has been employed in the Lincoln, Nebraska post office. They have two daughters, Deborah (Mrs. John Hendry), housewife and mother of two-year-old Aaron, and Iris (Mrs. Steve Neukirch), elementary school teacher in Lincoln. All live in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Circa 1947

George Pfoltner, Pat Callender, Jerry Callender, Harold Pfoltner, Merrill Callender, Earl Pfannkuch

Manning Monitor article------ 1943

Promoted to Tech. Sergeant
Panama City, Fla. --- Promotion of Jurgen H. Pfoltner, whose father is George Pfoltner, RFD, Manning, to the rank of Technical Sergeant, was announced today at the Army Air Forces Flexible Gunnery School at Tyndall Field.

The newly promoted man is in one of the squadrons stationed at the field to handle the administrative and technical work connected with training young Americans to become aerial gunners.

Graduates of the school, who receive sergeants' chevrons and silver wings, are the men who are charged with the responsibility of fighting off enemy planes when they attack our bombers.

Manning Monitor article------ 1945

Jurgen Pfoltner With 305th Group In German City
Six-Year Veteran With Air occupation Group Following Active War Record
Lechfeld, Germany, 305th Bomb. Group, Oct. 22 - T-Sgt. Jurgen H. Pfoltner is stationed at Lechfeld, Germany, and is with the 305th bombardment group. The 305th is one of the veteran groups of the eighth air force. Formerly the group was stationed at Shelveston, England, and moved from there in July 1945 to St. Trond, Belgium.

The 305th took part in the growth and development of the eighth air force and shared in all its major campaigns and missions. Of its 337 daylight bombing attacks the highlights are marked by commendations from the 8th bomber command and later by the ninth air force. Two of its members received the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The 305th, as a subordinate command of the United States air forces in Europe, is doing its part toward the successful air occupation of Germany.
The Lechfeld air base, once bombed by this group, is one of the largest in Europe and formerly was a Messerschmidt jet research field. Located eighteen miles south of Augsburg, it is in the center of the famous province of Bavaria.

T-Sgt. Pfoltner is the son of George Pfoltner of RFD No. 1 of this city.
He is a graduate of the Manning high school. Before entering the service he worked on the farm of his father. He enlisted on 12 Feb. 1941, and arrived in the ETO on 18 April, 1946.
He is attached to the 366th bomb squadron and his present duty is an airplane mechanic.

JURGEN HAROLD "HAL" PFOLTNER

A funeral service for Harold "Hal" Pfoltner of Lincoln, Nebraska, was held Monday, November 30, 1998, at Ohde Funeral Home in Manning.

Mr. Pfoltner, 83, a native of Manning, died Thursday, November 26, 1998, at Homestead Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Lincoln.

Pastor Curt Dwyer of Zion Lutheran Church in Manning, officiated the service.

Casket bearers were Aaron Hendry, Andrew Neukirch, Ben Neukirch, Chad Hendry, Jesse Neukirch, and Jerry Callender.

Visitation preceded the funeral service. Burial was in Manning Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be sent to Capital Humane Society, 2320 Park Boulevard, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Born December 27, 1914, at Manning, Jurgen Harold Pfoltner was a son of George and Ida (Kai) Pfoltner. After graduating from Manning High School he farmed with his family near Manning.

Mr. Pfoltner enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941 and served during World War II. Immediately after the war he enlisted in the newly formed Air Force.

He and Erika Berzins were married in 1948 at Kaufbeuren Air Force Base Chapel in Bavaria, Germany.

Besides Germany he served in the Philippines and later joined his family in Alabama and Newfoundland before settling in Lincoln, Nebraska.

After 20 years in the service he worked for the U.S. Postal Service at Lincoln for 19 years. The Pfoltners remained in Lincoln after retiring.

Mr. Pfoltner was a member of Christ Lutheran Church, in Lincoln; American Legion Post No. 3; the Air Force Sergeants Association; the National Association of Uniformed Services; the Capital Humane Society; American Mensa; and the American Association of Retired Persons.

Survivors include two daughters: Deborah Hendry and her husband, John, of Lincoln and Iris Neukirch and her husband, Stephen, of Lincoln; five grandsons; two nephews; and two sisters: Lorene Pfannkuch and her husband, Earl, of Manning, and Phyllis Callender of Manning.

Mr. Pfoltner was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Erika, on May 8, 1987.