Heroes Spotlight: Sgt. Michael J. Callanan

The following is the latest installment in an occasional series by Rich Carrara spotlighting the sacrifice and heroism of Canton veterans who were killed in action.

Much has been written about Michael Callanan in the 2007 book Canton’s Fallen Heroes published by Edward Piana and former Veterans Agent Tony Andreotti. It describes the young man’s life in Canton and his military career as an airman during World War II.

Sgt. Michael Callanan

I knew Sgt. Callanan because we both did odd jobs at Moro’s Market, which was just across the street from St. John the Evangelist Church (now St. Oscar Romero). His family lived in an apartment just over the building where Moros’s was located.

In the spring of 1943, Callanan was drafted into the U.S. Army and he found his way into the Army Air Corps, where he trained as both an airplane mechanic and as a gunner.

His first assignment, in January 1944, was as a gunner on a B-24 stationed in southern Italy with the 724th Bomber Squadron. The squadron was attached to the 451st Bomber Group of the 15th Air Force.

From southern Italy, the 724th participated in long-range bombing missions in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, and the oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania. The Ploesti refineries were so crucial to the German war effort that they were heavily defended. As a result, it was one of the most dangerous missions to fly due to the heavy concentration of fighter groups as well as moving artillery that were mounted on flat bed railroad cars.

On August 23, 1944, the 724th Bomber Squadron was given orders to bomb the Markersdorf-Haindorf Airfield near Vienna, Austria. Despite encountering large numbers of aircraft and severe anti-aircraft fire, they managed to fight their way through the opposition, destroying many enemy fighters and inflicting severe damage on the assigned targets.

It was during this raid that Sgt. Callanan’s plane was so severely damaged that the crew had to abandon the aircraft and parachute to the ground. As detailed in Canton’s Fallen Heroes, “All the men parachuted to safety, but three airmen, including Michael, were shot to death on the ground.”

That was all true, but what really happened was that Sgt. Callanan and his co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Phillip W. Pratt, Jr., after landing safely on the ground, were shot and killed by German military while attempting to make their escape.

Article III in the Code of the U.S. Fighting Force states: “If I am captured, I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.”

And so, while performing their final duty, Sgt. Michael Callanan and 2nd Lt. Phillip Pratt, ages 21 and 22, respectively, paid the ultimate price.

It was not until February 1945 — five months after his death — that Sgt. Callanan’s family members were informed of his fate. It would be another three and a half years before his body came home for burial, and he was interred at St. Mary’s Cemetery following a Mass at St. John’s.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=103616

Posted by Guest on Feb 3 2023. Filed under Canton History, Featured Content. Both comments and pings are currently closed.