Dave Fleischer

Dave Fleischer served in WWII as a member of the 394th Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group, from October 1942 through September 1945. He served in the ground crew for the fighter squadron as a cook. He would tell you that he "made sure my boys always had fresh fruits and vegetables, not those crummy C-rations!". He was proud to know that he fed the pilots well so that they could complete their missions. His squadron began their service in England and then served in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Central Europe and Rhineland. His squadron was very well traveled, and for that, he was awarded a Campaign Medal with 6 Bronze Stars to represent those locations. His squadron arrived on the beaches of Normandy just about a week after the actual storming of those beaches in what is known as the "second wave". He enjoyed relating the story of the 3:00 a.m. Christmas Day 1944 attack on his location, which happened while he was supervising the cooking of the turkeys. He escaped with only a small piece of shrapnel hitting his knee. When he reported to medic to be stitched, he was only concerned with the fact that the turkeys were ruined and now he didn't know what they would feed the troops!

Dave Fleischer received the one gift that he had always wanted before his passing. In early June of this year, he returned to France with three of his four children and two of his grandchildren at his side. It was the first time he had been back to what was the war-torn area in which he had served in WWII. He wanted to see what it was like today after rebuilding and the 74 years that have now passed.

Dave Fleischer was predeceased by his wife of 67 years, Grace, in 2015. His siblings, Adeline Spiritas, Sylvia Cohen, and Gilbert Fleischer, all also predeceased him.

He is survived by his four children, Mark Fleischer, Rozanne Friedman, Jeffrey Fleischer, and Robyn McAteer. Also, survived by his three grandchildren, Michele Friedman, Joeseph (Joey) McAteer and Molly Fleischer. Dave is also survived by beloved neices and nephews, Steve and Alexis Spiritas, Todd and Betsy Teitell, Gary and Carol Cohen, Michael and Susan Davidoff, and Janice Spiritas, surviving spouse of Ned Spiritas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you honor other veterans in donating in memory of Dave Fleischer to Disabled American Veterans at P.O. Box 1431, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 or Beyond Band of Brothers at c/o Debra Watkins ([email protected]). Each of these organizations touched the life of Dave Fleischer greatly and he would be pleased to know that, in death, he has helped these organizations continue their good work.

The family will accept visitors at Sparkman/Hillcrest at 7405 W. Northwest Highway in Dallas on Wed. evening, Nov. 7th, from 5 to 7 p.m. and services will be in the chapel at Sparkman/Hillcrest on Thurs., Nov. 8th, at 11:00 a.m.