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Personal info

Full name
TOMASIK, Teddy Valentine
Date of birth
22 August 1923
Age
21
Place of birth
Lackawanna, Erie County, New York
Hometown
Lackawanna, Erie County, New York

Military service

Service number
32842496
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner
Unit
96th Bombardment Squadron,
2nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 August 1944
Place of death
Near Sarvar, Hungary

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 26 18

Immediate family

Members
Valentine Tomasik (father)
Frances (Wojcik) Tomasik (mother)
Stella F. Tomasik (sister)
Bertha Tomasik (sister)
Jessie Tomasik (sister)
Esther Tomasik (sister)
Edward Tomasik (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-38069
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Big Widget
Destination: Odertal, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery
MACR: 11270

More information

S/Sgt. Teddy V. Tomasik was employed at the Curtiss-Wright Company.

He enlisted in Buffalo, New York on 12 March 1943.

Statement from S/Sgt. Charles H Hill, Tail Gunner on B-17 N. 395 which was flying in the first wave, third squadron, first element, second plane:
"After we left the target, B-17 No 069 lagged behind us. Our element was separated from the squadron at the time. I heard over the interphone that they were going to throw out all extra equipment and salvo the ball turret. A few minutes later I saw one chute go out, then three FW-190's attacked No 069. Four chutes came out then, one after the other. The plane flew on behind us for sometime until I lost sight of it. This was at 1315 hours from 19000 feet at 46 deg 25 North, 17 deg 10 min East."

Statement from S/Sgt John A. Lamb, Tail Gunner on B-17 No. 161 which was flying in second wave, third squadron, second element, third plane:
"B-17 No 069 was attacked by two enemy fighters, I counted six chutes but the first one opened and did not blossom as far as I could see. This occurred just as two fighters, a ME-109 and FW-190 attacked us from six o’clock. I last saw no. 069 at 1250 hours at 47 degrees 00 in North, 17 deg 00 min East."

Enemy aircraft blew off most of nose and it exploded.

Surviving crew members were told by Hungarian civilians that S/Sgt. Tomasik’s parachute failed to open even though his ripcord had been pulled. They said they had recovered his body and produced his dog tags for proof.

Eight crew members survived and were taken prisoner, two were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com – U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.findagrave.com