Anthony J Ardzinski

Military
AJ Ardzinski, a tail gunner of the 385th Bomb Group in position inside a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-32059) nicknamed "Poltergeist". Image via Tim Bivens. Bivens has handwritten on reverse: ' AJ Ardzinski- Tail gunner. Fred Heiser crew 550th BS, 385th BG, B-17G-35-BO "Poltergeist" 42-32059.' Bivens enclosed a letter with the print: 7-14-03, Hello Roger, Got another “Mystery B-17” for you. Just recently obtained the enclosed prints from slides taken by the co-pilot Bob James in the photos. A media-380096.jpg FRE 1341 AJ Ardzinski, a tail gunner of the 385th Bomb Group in position inside a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-32059) nicknamed "Poltergeist". Image via Tim Bivens. Bivens has handwritten on reverse: ' AJ Ardzinski- Tail gunner. Fred Heiser crew 550th BS, 385th BG, B-17G-35-BO "Poltergeist" 42-32059.' Bivens enclosed a letter with the print: 7-14-03, Hello Roger, Got another “Mystery B-17” for you. Just recently obtained the enclosed prints from slides taken by the co-pilot Bob James in the photos. As noted, he was KIA flying a Mossie after his 385th BG tour. He shared some of the slides with crew members, my copies coming from the gunner Julius King....This crew’s assigned B-17G shows up in photo No 2 They called the plane “Poltergeist” but Mr King says he doesn’t think it was ever painted on the plane. They later were shot down while flying 43-38156. If you have any info on 42-107054, let me know…..’ This plane was also called "Vagabond" according to the 385th records. 42-107054 is known as "Vat 69" (we have nose art of her as well) Roger Freeman Collection

official 385th records

Object Number - FRE 1341 - AJ Ardzinski, a tail gunner of the 385th Bomb Group in position inside a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-32059) nicknamed "Poltergeist". Image...

Anthony Ardzinski was a Tail Gunner in the 385th Bomb Group/ 550th Bomb Squadron.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 385th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

AJ Ardzinski, a tail gunner of the 385th Bomb Group in position inside a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-32059) nicknamed "Poltergeist". Image via Tim Bivens. Bivens has handwritten on reverse: ' AJ Ardzinski- Tail gunner. Fred Heiser crew 550th BS, 385th BG, B-17G-35-BO "Poltergeist" 42-32059.' Bivens enclosed a letter with the print: 7-14-03, Hello Roger, Got another “Mystery B-17” for you. Just recently obtained the enclosed prints from slides taken by the co-pilot Bob James in the photos. A
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Poltergeist, Vagabond
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Enlisted

New York City, New York, United States 3 October 1942 as a Private in the Air Corps

Died

Inverness, Citrus County, Florida, United States 14 January 1997

Born

Poland Born in Poland on 9 April 1923 (according to Veterans Affairs : http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/index.html ), or 21 April, 1923 (according to the SSDI : https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JP7K-MY4 ) - the son of Carl and Pauline Ardzinski

Buried

Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Florida, United States
Brooklyn, New York, United States

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Veterans Affairs website
NARA WWII Enlistment records
SSDI

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / unit history

Anthony J Ardzinski: Gallery (2 items)