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| Last Name: | Halfpapp |
| First Name: | Arthur |
| Middle Initial: | E. |
| Home State: | Pennsylvania |
| County or Town: | Steelton, York County |
| Year or Date born: | unknown |
| Year or Date died: | 04-24-1945 |
| Branch of service: | Air Forces |
| Location(s) served: | |
| Where buried?: | His remains are in the process of being sent home |
| What did you learn with this action?: | n October of 2014, Artie Halfpupp's body and plane were found in an Italian field. He had been "Missing in Action" for 7+ decades, and he is memorialized here at the Florence American Cemetery as "MIA". He died just a few weeks before the end of the war, when his plane was shot down behind enemy lines. It was his 103rd mission. After 50 missions, Artie could have gone home. After 100 missions, he was told to go home. Sipe [his nephew] says that he refused to go home because he didn't want some rookie to take his place and get shot down. Halfpapp was killed on his 103rd mission on April 24, 1945. The family and U.S. government are currently in the process of having the remains DNA tested, but by the end of that laborious process, Artie Halfpapp's body should be able to return home to Steelton, PA, where it will lay with the family burial. Although of course this is a sad story, in a way this one has a happy ending. |
| What inspired you about this individual to do something in your life to make a difference?: | I enjoyed this assignment. It was very interesting for me to learn about my soldier and it caused me to seriously consider the blessing of coming over here to Italy to study abroad. 70 years ago, young people were also coming over here just like me, except for entirely different reasons and circumstances. It made me realize the gravity of their sacrifice. Artie Halfpapp inspired me because of his willing attitude, even in the face of death. He could have gone home-- was even told to go home-- but he refused because he knew he could do the job best. I want to have a spirit of willingness like that. I want to be a giving and sacrificing person like Artie was. |
| Submitter Name: | jwest11@harding.edu |
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