Stephen Louis Gogolya
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
41-24617 "Southern Comfort" WF-J, badly damaged mission to Rotterdam, 31 march 43, crew abandoned A/C over UK, 1 x KIA, 9 x RTD. Pilot managed to stagger back to belly landing at Beacon Hill, near Wickham Bishops, Witham, Eng.
Rear L-R – 2Lt William J Lakey[Copilot], 2Lt James Alfred Moberly[Nav], Lt Hugh Ashcoft[Pilot], 2Lt Bert M Wells[Bomb], S/Sgt James Patterson[Waist].
Front L-R – T/Sgt Stephen L Gogolya[TT/Eng], T/Sgt Douglas Glover[Radio], S/Sgt Frank Hern Hilsabeck[TailGun], S/Sgt Ray Armstrong[Ball Turret], S/Sgt Frank Corser[Waist].
Object Number - UPL 19388 - 1st Lt Ashcraft and crew of the 305th Bomb Group, are shown beside a B-17 Flying Fortress. 29 November 1942. England. 41-24617 "Southern Comfort"...
Killed in Action (KIA) on 31-Mar-43 on returning from mission in B-17 41-24617 'Southern Comfort' when the A/C crashed. The crew bailed out over Essex. SSgt Gogolya was lost when he slipped out of his parachute. It is assumed he thought he was going to land in water as others in his crew did and in accordance with standard procedures, loosened his parachute harness to lessen his risk of being drowned by his own parachute in a water landing. Per newspaper accounts he fell 100 feet and landed on the ground instead of in water. The rest of his crew survived the bail out. He previously was credited with shooting down one German fighter. He was the son of Mr and Mrs John Gogoyla of Pennsylvania.
Awards: DFC, PH.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14049827 / O-?
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
![An airman of the 305th Bomb Group in the cockpit of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Southern Comfort". Passed for publication 17 Feb 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '305BG. 16-2-43.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407682.jpg.webp?itok=0l1Sg-HC)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Southern Comfort
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania | 1 December 1917 | |
|
Enlisted |
Pittsburgh, PA | 8 January 1942 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
|
Died |
31 March 1943 | ||
|
Buried |
Pennsylvania, USA |
Revisions
Various newspaper articles from Feb, March and May 1943 as found on Newspapers.com Her eis one direct link: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120923775/pittsburgh-sun-telegraph-febr…;
https://www.fold3.com/image/310763631
https://www.fold3.com/record/83754070/stephen-l-gogolya-wwii-army-enlis…
Removed # from A/C serial No. to aid clarity and consistency
Combat Chronology Supplement, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey, p. 94 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia