Charles Joseph Kukawski

Military
media-39367.jpeg UPL 39367 "A crew of the 379th Bomb Group poses beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Judy B' at an 8th Air Force base in England, 16 July 1943."

Crew list for 17-Jul-43: Lt Willis C Carlisle, Lt Charles R Bigler, Lt John W Bradley, Lt Joseph G Glaser Jr, T/Sgt Benjamin B Johnson, T/Sgt Albert P Tyler, Cpl Charles J Kukawski, Sgt James A Dyson, Sgt Vernon F Bennett, Sgt John A Stachura.

Pictured L-R:
Rear: 2Lt Lt Charles R Bigler, 1Lt Willis C Carlisle, Lt Joseph G Glaser Jr, Lt John W Bradley.
Front: Cpl Charles J Kukawski, T/Sgt Benjamin B Johnson, T/Sgt Albert P Tyler, Sgt John A Stachura.

https://www.fold3.com/image/32192770
379th Bombardment Group (H) Anthology, November 1942-July 194

Object Number - UPL 39367 - "A crew of the 379th Bomb Group poses beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'Judy B' at an 8th Air Force base in England, 16 July 1943." Crew...

Assigned to 524BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 13 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Le Bourget in B-17 42-29866; Shot down by flak 16-Aug-43. After he was shot down, lived with about 90 different families before he was captured. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1352.



Awards: AM (2 OLC), PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-736081
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Peter Wabbit
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Judy B
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Scarlett O'Hara
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Mary Jane ll
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA 2 October 1922 Son of Evelyn Jane Kukawski.

Enlisted

Kalamazoo, MI 4 July 1942 Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Other

Baled out EVD / POW

Le Bourget, FR 16 August 1943 Failed to Return (FTR) Le Bourget in B-17 42-29866; Shot down by flak 16-Aug-43. After he was shot down, lived with about 90 different families before he was captured. POW MACR 1352

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Tychowo, Poland 16 August 1943 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft IV.

Other

Discharged USAAF

26 September 1945 Honourable discharge.

Enlisted

24 September 1947 Enlisted USAF.

Other

Discharged USAF

1 July 1949 Honourable discharge.

Died

Grand Rapids, MI 1 November 2000

Buried

Holy Cross Cemetery, Grand Rapid, MI 5 November 2000 Holy Cross Cemetery, Grand Rapid, Michigan

Based

Prisoner of War (POW)

Kimbolton 16 August 1943 Assigned to 524BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
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Key Image ID.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1352 / MACR 1352/wife / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Charles Joseph Kukawski: Gallery (2 items)