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name
GUDYKA, Peter - Date of
birth
12 March 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Pe Ell, Lewis County, Washington -
Hometown
Pe Ell, Lewis County, Washington
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-669278 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
546th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
9 March 1944 - Place of
death
Berlin-Marienfeld, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Leon Gudyka (father)
Victoria (Kusznieder) Gudyka (mother)
Sophia Gudyka (sister)
Frank Gudyka (brother)
Joseph Gudyka (brother)
Lena Gudyka (sister)
Herbert J. Gudyka (brother)
Anne W.Gudyka (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-37781 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Silver Dollar
Destination: Oranienburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Heinkel aircraft plant
MACR: 3005
More information
1st Lt Peter Gudyka attended Western Washington College, where he was quarterback of the football team.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Seattle, Washington on 11 March 1942.
The primary target, the Heinkel aircraft plant in Oranienburg, was hidden by dense clouds, so the secondary target, the city center of Berlin, was bombed.
The airplane was hit by bombs of the High Group (379th Bomber Squadron), which knocked off the tail completely. It went straight down into a spin with all four engines still running.
Two crew members were taken prisoner, and eight men were killed.
Source of information: Michel Beckers, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / Family Tree
Photo source: Jac Engels, www.ancestry.com - Western Washington College of Education Yearbook 1941, Arie-Jan van Hees - Bombardier Class Book 43-01, Midland Army Air Field, Texas, www.384thbombgroup.com