Arthur James Popa was born on January 20, 1923, in Lorain, Lorain County, Ohio.He served in the 762nd Bomber Squadron, 460th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Gunner of B-24 #42-78258 during World War II.

On June 30, 1944, B-24G 42-78258 of the 460th Bombardment Group departed its base in Italy as part of a major Fifteenth Air Force mission against the oil refineries at Blechhammer, one of the most heavily defended industrial targets in Europe. After bombing the objective, the formation encountered deteriorating weather, scattered cloud layers, and aggressive German fighter opposition while withdrawing south toward the Adriatic. In the confusion of the return leg, 42-78258 became separated and was attacked repeatedly by interceptors defending the Hungarian airspace corridor. Witnesses later recalled an aircraft from the group trailing smoke and losing altitude near the Lake Balaton region. Unable to maintain formation, the Liberator descended toward the countryside west of the lake, where it ultimately went down near Tapolca. The crew members faced varying fates; some were captured and became prisoners of war, while others were killed in the crash.

SSgt Popa was Killed in Action and is buried in the same grave as 2Lt Edwin W. Baylor in Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, norwalkctheroes.org, www.15thaf.org