Howard Luzier

Howard Luzier, former prisoner of war, dies at 100
Howard L. Luzier, 100, formerly of Limestone, N.Y., and Colonial Heights, Bradford, passed away Wednesday (Dec. 12, 2018) at the Omega Assisted Living, Cape Coral, Fla.
Born Aug. 22, 1918, in Paulsboro, N.J.,, he was the third son of the late William C. and Eva Leslie Sweet Luzier. Upon the death of his mother and brother in the devastating flu epidemic of 1918, he was raised by his maternal grandparents, the late Fred and Anna Frank Sweet of Limestone, N.Y.
On Oct. 11, 1939, he and Florence "Smiles" Rothrock were married by Rev. Peter VanDuren of the Limestone Methodist Church.
Howard was a 1936 graduate of Limestone High School, 1938 graduate of Westbrook Commercial Academy, Olean N.Y., and a 1949 graduate of Customer Administrative School/IBM Accounting Management, Endicott, N.Y.
He was employed by Kendall Refining Company, later Witco Chemical Company, Kendall/Amalie Division for 45 years, retiring as an office manager in 1983.
He was active in the Kendall-Witco credit union, and the Kendall golf league. He was a former trustee and usher of First United Methodist Church, Bradford and Cuba, N.Y., St Francis of Assisi 50+ group, Foster Township retired men's club, 460th Bomb Group (H) Society Inc. 55th Wing, 15th United States Army Air Force, American ex-prisoner of war membership association life member, Army Air Force Association, Chautauqua Chapter 338 life member, Disabled American Veterans, Alumni Association of Limestone, N.Y., High School, life member of AARP, Penn-Brad Oil Museum and supporter of the Fireside Pumpers, Bradford Refinery Quarter Century Club, charter member and officer of the original Data Processing Machine Accountants Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania and New York circa 1950, charter member of the area first Western Style Square Dance Club in 1962, Hicks & Chicks, which later became Jacks & Jills Dance Club, and was still a member when it ceased in 1995. He was the former membership Salamanca, N.Y., See-Saws Square Dance Club, Cuba, N.Y., Friendship Swingers, and Dancing Shadows Round Dance Club of Bradford.
Inducted into the United States Army Air Force on Oct. 15, 1943, in Buffalo, N.Y., Howard embarked for the European Theatre of Operations and was assigned to the 15th United States Army Air Force, 460th Bomb Group, 761st Bomb Squadron, Spinazzola, Italy, as an assistant engineer/waist gunner on a B-24 Liberator (H) Bomber on July 14, 1944.
On their 13th mission on Friday, Sept. 13, 1944, their bomber completed a bombing run over the designated target, Oswiecum Oil Refinery and Rubber Works, Poland. The plane was hit by an intense amount of flak, puncturing fuel tanks and setting engines on fire. The pilot issued the order to bail out over the area of the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp was located. Howard had evaded capture and found refuge with partisans and then connected with the Russian allies and was to be returned to American hands. While waiting for a United States plane to return soldiers to Italy, they were attacked by the Germans and taken as a prisoner of war on Nov. 10, 1944. He was taken to transit camp Dulag Luft, then transferred to Stalag Luft 1, in Barth, Germany, along the Baltic Sea.
On May 1, 1945, the camp was liberated by the Russian allies. Howard returned home on June 13. After six weeks rest and relaxation furlough, he was assigned to the Rome, N.Y., Army Air Force Base, where he was discharged Nov. 10, 1945. During his service to his country Howard earned, Air w/1 Overseas Bar, ETO w/5 Bronze Star, Prisoner of War, Purple Heart, American Campaign, Good Conduct, World War II Victory, and New York State Conspicuous Service medals.
Surviving are his wife Florence of 79 years, two daughters, Claudia (Steven) Ervin of Port Charlotte, Fla., and Carolyn Frutiger Hubert (Robert) of Cape Coral, Fla.; three granddaughters, Marni Long (Russell) Hawkins, of United States Air Force base Mountain Home, Idaho, Lisa Frutiger (Thomas) Bowser, of Barberton, Ohio, and Wendy Frutiger (Mark) Frederick of Bradford; one great-grandson, Gregory Frederick of Bradford; three great-granddaughters, Kylie Bowser and Brandi Bowser, both of Barberton, Ohio, and Mackenzie Hawkins of Mountain Home, Idaho.
Howard was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, one sister, four half-brothers, one half-sister, all in New Jersey, and a son in-law Richard Frutiger of Bradford.
Family will be receiving friends on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Hollenbeck Cahill Funeral Homes, 372 East Main St. where at 1 p.m. a funeral service will be held with the Rev. Seth McClymonds Jr., pastor of the First United Methodist Church, officiating. Full military honors will be accorded by the United States Army Air Force and members of the Honor Guard of the American Legion Post 108 will follow in Willow Dale Cemetery.
Memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to the Anna Sweet memorial fund of the Limestone Methodist Church, P.O. Box 321, Limestone, NY 14753.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.hollenbeckcahill.com