Wade E Swink
MilitaryUploaded
Shot down 25 June 1943 in B-17 #42-29499 'Ma Ma Chang'. Survived parachute drop but got hung up in a tree and broke his back. Rescued and taken care of by members of the underground, but because of his severe injuries had to be turned over to the Germans.
Recovered from those injuries in a German hospital then transferred to POW camps Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Prussia, then moved to Wabbelin Bei Lugwigslust.
Spent approximately 2 years as a POW before being rescued. Returned to the States with a stay at Army Air Forces Convalescent Hospital in New York before returning home to his family in Pennsylvania.
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Mama Chung's Bastard
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Enlisted |
New Cumberland, PA 17070, USA | 21 March 1942 | Recorded as married at the time of his enlistment |
Other Shot down |
Zuiderveen, 9665 Oude Pekela, Netherlands | 25 June 1943 | |
Born |
Pennsylvania, USA | ||
Fayette County, PA, USA |
Revisions
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Connected media to airman's record and details from enlistment record:
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf…
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor