Joseph Robert Sawicki

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Insignia associated with the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force. media-395048.jpg FRE 5105 Insignia associated with the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5105 - Insignia associated with the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force.

Shot down 29 November 1943 in B-17 #42-29498 'Dark Horse', Killed in Action (KIA).



Despite the lost of his left arm at the elbow and grave abdominal wounds, Sergeant Sawicki, tail gunner on Fyler's crew, booted the two wounded and disabled waist gunners to safe parachute landings over Nazi Germany. Sawicki then collapsed of his wounds and was found dead in the wreckage of the Dark Horse. Attempts to get a Medal of Honor for Sawicki have been made by Fyler.

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31201008
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

42-29498 "The Dark Horse"
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Dark Horse, a.k.a. Mumsie
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Enlisted

21 May 1943 Residence: Wayne County, Michigan

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Germany 29 November 1943

Born

Michigan, USA

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a unit connection to the 8th AF.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Changed the label of the “Died” event to "Killed in Action (KIA)" per info in the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Removed a space in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
Contributorbombercommand
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1657

Joseph Robert Sawicki: Gallery (1 items)