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name
LUNIEWICZ, Theodore Edward - Date of
birth
11 June 1924 -
Age
20 -
Place of birth
Cook County, Illinois -
Hometown
Argo, Cook County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
16139269 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner -
Unit
577th Bombardment Squadron,
392nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
9 February 1945 - Place of
death
North Sea
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Broalislaw Luniewicz (father)
Josephine Luniewicz (mother)
Eugene Luniewicz (brother)
Frances Luniewicz (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-28841 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: The Philly Folly
Destination: Magdeburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the BRABAG oil refinery
MACR: 12216
More information
Theodore Luniewicz attended Argo Community High School in Summit, Illinois. He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Chicago, Illinois on 14 March 1944.1st Lt K.E. Cline, gave a brief account on last seeing this aircraft: "Aircraft 841 was seen to peel off and head back toward the Continent at 1354 hours (52-40N; 04-15E) at 14,000 feet. Ship was probably low on gas."
There were no German reports on this loss or other U.S. force sightings. It is speculated beyond a reasonable doubt that this aircraft and crew went down in the North Sea. This reasoning stems from the fact that the bodies of four crewmen eventually washed ashore.
The entire crew of nine was killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.B24.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com, U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963; Chicago Tribune obituary 1961
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Argo Community High School yearbook, 1939