Walter C Wawrzynek

Military
media-42994.jpeg UPL 42994 41-24547 Vertigo and Crew. This is the crew that went down on the aircraft on the 1st of May 1943 but the only positively identified one is SSGT Richard E. Shumard Front Row Second Left
It is believed that the positions are as follows.
Back Row L-R King, Robert Shaw (Regular Copilot not on the 1st of May flight), Rand, Sternglanz, Hatch.
Front Row L-R. Kuzoswski, Shumard, Farrar, Wawrzynek, Platt

Addition to Caption

Object Number - UPL 42994 - 41-24547 Vertigo and Crew. This is the crew that went down on the aircraft on the 1st of May 1943 but the only positively identified one is SSGT...

Shot down 1 May 1943 in B-17 #41-24547 'Vertigo' on a mission to target U-boats, heavy flak and fighters attacked. Plane crashed into Channel about 4 miles off Brest and quickly sank. One of 5 survivors to become Prisoner of War (POW)s, he was imprisoned at Stalag Luft 3 and moved to 49-11 near Nuremburg.



POW

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18049941
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 6146062
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 1102931
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16042107
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39082742
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner; Assistant line chief

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Vertigo
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Hamtramck, Michigan, USA

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 1 May 1943 Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to Stalag Luft 3 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added POW camp info to the POW event from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Removed redundant info from the Role/Job field.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to the A/C #42-29657 listed in the "Summary biography".
Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorRayWells
Changes
Sources

Update to connections

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3573 / MACR 3573, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs by Bishop & Hey p. 112, / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Walter C Wawrzynek: Gallery (1 items)