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Personal info

Full name
WARDENCKI, John Albert
Date of birth
8 June 1918
Age
25
Place of birth
Linden, Union County, New Jersey
Hometown
Linden, Union County, New Jersey

Military service

Service number
O-748288
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
534th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
24 May 1944
Place of death
Gratze, Heckelberg-Brunow-Heckelberg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 7 52

Immediate family

Members
Stanislaw Wardencki (father)
Magdelene Wardencki (mother)
Sadie Wardencki (sister)
Joseph Wardencki (brother)
Annie Wardencki (sister)
Charles Wardencki (brother)
Norbert H. Wardencki (brother)
Edward Wardencki (brother)
Walter Wardencki (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-97214
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Carolina Queen
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 5181

More information

John A. Wardencki was a mechanic.
He enlisted on 20 October 1941 at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
B-17 #42-31698 was crippled by enemy fire during the first fighter attack. The right wing broke off and as it went down, collided with B-17 #42-97214. Both airplane exploded.

The entire crew of this B-17 was killed and was initially buried at the cemetery of Tempelfelde, Germany.

Source of information: Terry Hirsch, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, WWII Draft Card, 1920 US Census

Photo source: FOHF