Antonio Bednarchuk

Military
Staff Sergeant Antoni Bednarchuk, a tail gunner of the 303rd Bomb Group, holds the group's mascot by the tail guns of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp]. 'Passed for Publication 19 April 1943.' [stamp], 'Not to be Published before 20 April 1943.' [printed note] and '257534.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Former bus driver at Providence, R.I. S/Sgt (Gunner) Antoni Bednarchuk,aged 27 has now taken 8 trips by air against the Germans. He has media-378795.jpg FRE 926 Staff Sergeant Antoni Bednarchuk, a tail gunner of the 303rd Bomb Group, holds the group's mascot by the tail guns of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp]. 'Passed for Publication 19 April 1943.' [stamp], 'Not to be Published before 20 April 1943.' [printed note] and '257534.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Former bus driver at Providence, R.I. S/Sgt (Gunner) Antoni Bednarchuk,aged 27 has now taken 8 trips by air against the Germans. He has been awarded the Air Medal. His home is at 141, Farm Street, Woonsocket, R.I. and he is engaged to Miss Maysie Grossi, of 1224 Mineral Spring Ave, Pawtucket, R.I. Between tending his guns he pets a mascot.' Roger Freeman Collection

Person associated from Freeman Collection image caption.

Object Number - FRE 926 - Staff Sergeant Antoni Bednarchuk, a tail gunner of the 303rd Bomb Group, holds the group's mascot by the tail guns of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image...

1 May-42 Assigned as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24612 [GN-R] "The Devil Himself" at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 26-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK on "The Devil Himself".



He flew with nine different crews of the 303BG/427BS over the course of completing his 25-mission tour on 12-Aug-43.



Mission Participations (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) See Biography events.



Connections

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

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

Ground crewmen of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Jerry Jinx". Handwritten caption on reverse: '303BG'.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Jerry Jinx : What's Up Doc
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Devil Himself
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Asssigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 1 May 1942 Assigned as Tail Gunner of B-17F 41-24612 "The Devil Himself", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 26 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Tail Gunner aboard B-17F 41-24612 "The Devil Himself", 303BG/427BS.

Other

Mission #1, SSGT Antonio Bednarchuk, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb th U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 18-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 18-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ralph S. Hayes crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-hayes.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 18-Feb-2016. AddedAssigend to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ralph S. Hayes crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-hayes.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 18-Feb-2016. Added Summary Biography and made connections to Place, AIrcraft (through 23-Jan-43) and Missions (through 23-Jan-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ralph S. Hayes crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-hayes.html

Date
ContributorPhillWray
Changes
Sources

Award associated from Freeman Collection image caption.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

Antonio Bednarchuk: Gallery (2 items)