Edward C Piech

Military
media-55265.jpeg UPL 55265 Edward C. Piech, 509th Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group

Object Number - UPL 55265 - Edward C. Piech, 509th Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group

As a B-17 bombardier, Edward C. Piech completed twenty-five missions during the darkest days of the Eighth Air Force’s campaign against Nazi Germany.



He enlisted in the Army Air Force (AAF) on April 11, 1942. On June 24, 1942, he arrived at Maxwell Field, Alabama as an aviation cadet. Assigned to Squadron L, Group 13.



In August 1942, he was based at Santa Ana Army Air Base, for bombardier pre-flight school. October 1942 assigned to Williams Field, Arizona as part of the 38th (Bombardier and Specialized Twin- and 4-Engine) Flying Training Wing for basic and advance training.



On January 2, 1943, he graduated in Class 43-1 Bombardiers, at Williams Field, received his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt.



January 9, 1943, assigned to Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho for B-17 training as part of the 29th Bomb Group. After completing OTU-RTU training, assigned to Walla Walla AAB, 399th Squadron, 88th Bomb Group on April 1, 1943.



July 3, 1943, arrived at Polebrook and assigned to 509th BS, 351st BG. Flew 26 missions, 24 credited. Survived crash landing at RAF Leiston on board 42-29726, 'Poisonality' on July 30, 1943 after being battle damaged on a mission to Kassel, Germany.



On January 15, 1944, his 25th mission, Piech served as the bombardier on General Ira Eaker’s flight to Marrakech to become Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces. He served in North Africa until February 21, 1944, when he returned to England, and then back to the US.



Edward passed away after a courageous battle with Alzheimer's, on Thursday, August 25, 2011.



He wrote and recorded his war-time experiences in "The Wartime Diaries of Captain Edward C. Piech, USAAF, 1942-1944" https://oralhistory.rutgers.edu/related-documents/67-diaries/1518-the-w…

 

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 351st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Dallas Rebel Poisonality
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 337th Bomb Squadron 509th Bomb Squadron
42-29812
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lucifer Jr
  • Unit: 509th Bomb Squadron 351st Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Snoozin Susan
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Buck-Shot
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Parlin, New Jersey 26 May 1920 Born Parlin, New Jersey

Died

New Brunswick, New Jersey 25 August 2011 Died New Brunswick, New Jersey

Buried

Hillside Cemetery Metuchen, New Jersey 28 August 2011 Interred Hillside Cemetery Metuchen, Middlesex County, New Jersey

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorDouglas P
Changes
Sources

Correction to A/C connections

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

First name found in Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log ( see B-17 42-29726)

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 213, The 351st in WWII by Harbour & Harris pp. 12-13

Edward C Piech: Gallery (2 items)