Victor Ciganek
MilitaryUploaded
Sgt Victor Ciganek was assigned to the 91st Bomb Group 322nd Squadron based at Bassingbourn. Victor served as radio operator on the B-17 #42-3119 "Destiny's Tot" on the Hamburg mission of 26 July 1943. Upon returning the B-17 ditched into the North Sea due to a malfunction of the fuel tank. The crew were picked up by Air-Sea rescue.
On 17 August 1943 mission to Schweinfurt Sgt Ciganek was shot down in B-17 #42-2990 "Dame Satan." Due to his injuries, Victor was immediately captured and taken to the local hospital in Jemappes, Belgium. He was then transferred to Stalag IXC in Obermassfeld where he spent Christmas of 1943. In 1944 he was transferred to Stalag Luft VI Heydakrug, then was moved to Stalag Luft IV Gross Tychow via train and cargo ship SS Masuren. On 6 Feb 1945 Sgt Ciganek began the March to freedom and was met by the Timberwolf outfit on 25 April 1945.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35430340
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-673492
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35380608
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19092104 and O-734080
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15321001
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 17 August 1943
- Official Description:
- Date: 26 July 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Military site
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Jersey City, NJ | 19 April 1915 | |
Enlisted |
Newark, New Jersey, United States | 15 July 1942 | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Germany | 17 August 1943 - 24 May 1945 | MACR : "Was thrown out by Sgt Tucker while unconscious from a Flak wound." Landed In Belgium and was hosipitalized at a Jemappes, Belgium hospital. Later transferred to Stalag Luft 4 in Gross Tychow (Tychow), Poland. |
Died |
Anchorage, Alaska, United States | 25 August 2001 | |
Buried |
Hollywood Cemetery, Harrington, Delaware, United States |
Revisions
My father's diary and Ragged Irregular ( Apr 1985) article by navigator Turcotte.
My father's very detailed diary. The Veterans Admin. does not have all this information. Please do not alter.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 277 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Roll of Honor; MACR 277