Stanislaus Nowak

Military

22-Feb-43 Assigned to the 303BG/358BS at Molesworth, UK as an Aerial Gunner of the 2LT James R. Dunn crew.



31 Mar 1943 was one of only 3 survivors when serving as the Left Waist Gunner of B-17F #42-29573 "Two Beauts", 303BG/358BS sustained a mid-air collision with B-17F #41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG 360BS during assembly for a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. This occured less than an hour from takeoff with each carrying 6 bombs for the mission to Rotterdam. The planes crashed at Mears Ashby and 303rd reports a memorial to the two crews is there. SSGT Nowak was one of 3 crew members who returned from the mission. He was injured when he bailed out and hospitalized. Afterward he was reassigned to the 427th and flew on 'Susfu' under pilot Broussard.



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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-727194
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Fertile Myrtle" of the 323rd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group. Another 323rd Bomb Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress (OR-S, serial number 42-29520) is in the background.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Fertile Myrtle
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Two Beauts
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Hunting Club
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Unit

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 22 February 1942 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with the 2LT James R. Dunn crew at Molesworth, UK.

Other

Mission #1, SSGT Stanislaus Nowkak, w/B-17F 42-29520, 303BG/358BS

Bremen-Vegesack, Bremen, Germany 18 March 1943 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-29520, 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat construction yards at Vegesack, Germany. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SSGT Stanislaus Nowkak, w/B-17F 42-5432, 303BG/358BS

Rouen, France 28 March 1943 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5432 "The Hunting Club", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SSGT Stanislaus Nowkak, w/B-17F 42-29573, 303BG/358BS - BO/INJ

Rotterdam, Netherlands 31 March 1943 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-29573 "Two Beauts", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. The aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with another B-17 during assembly and crashed near Mears Ashby, UK. He was injured in the collision but manage to bale out. He was in hospital for a time. BO/INJ

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Fixed a typo in the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Fixed a typo in the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to pilot James R. Dunn.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG Website, Gary Mocnur, Historian, Mission Report of 31-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/027.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG Website, Gary Mocnur, Historian, Mission Report of 28-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG Website, Gary Mocnur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/024.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Assigned to Unit event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, James R. Dunn crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/358dunn.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added initial assignment info, loss details and Mission Participation statement to Summary Biography; Made connections to Place. Aricraft (through 31-Mar-43) and Aircraft (through 31-Mar-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, James R. Dunn crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/358dunn.html

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit history,  Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey, p. 94,

href="http://303rdbg.com/rost-nopq.html#N">http://303rdbg.com/rost-nopq.html#N>