Banis Square

in Memory of
S/Sgt. Joseph J. Banis
Born: August 9, 1908
Died in France
July 7, 1944

T/Sgt. Paul P. Banis

Born: July 31, 1921

Missing in Action

December 17, 1944

Banis Square is the intersection of Dorchester and Houghton Streets. A street-sign-style marker stands on the corner, as usual, but the stone and plaque have been moved into the corner lot which is now Banis Park. The dedicatory plaque is shared by Joseph and Paul, presumably brothers or cousins, though I have yet to confirm that.

Joseph served with the 329th Infantry, 83rd Division. We met them before, at Kirminas Square. They fought their way across Normandy, through the Battle of the Bulge, and deep into Germany. Joseph, unfortunately, did not make it beyond Normandy.

Paul served aboard a B-24 Liberator bomber piloted by Theodore King.Although he is listed as Missing in Action, we do know what happened to him:

"I, Staff Sargeant Kenje Ogata, 16037445, was ball turret gunner on an airplane in the same flight as First Lieutenant Theodore C. King, flying aircraft number 42-51941. On 17 December 1944, Lieutenant King was flying number two position, deputy flight leader, on a mission over the Odertal oil plant in Germany. Shortly after passing over the target the lead airplane seemed to be pulling out of the formation and Lieutenant King, in the deputy lead position, moved to take over the lead. As Lieutenant King let down his tail hit the number one propeller of the lead ship as it was coming back into its former position. I saw Lieutenant King’s airplane spiral down and go in a flat spin. The tail of Lieutenants King’s aircraft was sheared off. The weather was clear and just before the plane hit and burst into flame I saw one parachute open. This was at about 1255 hours at approximately 50 28N 18 04E, in Germany."

The single parachute belonged to S/Sgt. Joseph Weisler, the only man to make it out of the plane. He spent the rest of the war in a POW camp. Since the rest of the crew was never recovered, they remain listed as missing.