Chester A Lisiewski

Military

Chester Lisiewski was assigned to the 385th Bomb Group / 550th Bomb Squadron. He was Engineer / Top Turret gunner on B-17 42-5913 "Shack Bunny", lost due to mechanical trouble on the 20 October 1943 mission to Duren, Germany. After landing on the Belgian side of the Dutch-Belgian border near Neerpelt, he was taken in charge by Dutch, Belgian and French patriots and members of the COMET evasion network. He was helped across the border from Belgium into France and reached Paris in early January 1944. Due to arrests in the evasion network, he too was captured, in Paris, on 21 January 1944. He was held as a Prisoner of War in Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow / Tychowo (Poland) until liberation in May 1945. See the story of his evasion at http://www.evasioncomete.be/flisiewca.html

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 385th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16069047
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33323881
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36333782
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-735982
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
First Lieutenant Lyle Fryer, of the 385th Bomb Group with his B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Mary Ellen III". Passed for publication 28 Sep 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Youth Of The Flying Fortresses. USP/224I-200-201. L/Lt.[sic] Lyle Fryer, of Rochester, Minn., pilot of the Fortress "Mary Ellen III", awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for "extraordinary achievement" during a bombing mission over Germany recentl. Lt. Fryer is only 22 years of age, and has already been awarded the Air Medal for
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 551st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-665675
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Shack Bunny
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 551st Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

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

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States 21 November 1919

Enlisted

Fort Sheridan, Highwood, Chicago, Illinois, United States 5 November 1941 as a Private in the Air Corps

Other

Evaded

20 October 1943 - 21 January 1944 Initially evaded with the help of Dutch, Belgian and French citizens and members of the Résistance, he was arrested in Paris on 21 January 1944

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

21 January 1944 Interned at Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow / Tychowo. NARA WWII POW records : "Returned to Military control 30 May 1945."

Died

North Las Vegas, Nevada, United States 11 April 1999
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Buried

Palm Desert Memorial, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Updated Website address in Bio

Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia ;
- MACR 828

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 828
Page about his evasion at http://www.evasioncomete.org/flisiewca.html

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 828 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database