Joseph F. SAWICKI, Jr

 

SAWICKI joseph f 2
NUMBER OF SERVICEO 758863
AGE-- yo
DATE OF BIRTH--
ETATCONNECTICUT
FAMILY--
RANKSecond Lieutenant
FONCTIONPilot
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT-CT
DATE of ENLISTEMENT-
 SQUADRON505th Fighter Squadron
 GROUP339th Fighter Group
ARMY8th US Air Force
DATE OF DEATH8 june 1944SAWICKI joseph f tombe
STATUSKIA
PLACE OF DEATH" La Touche " Princé    ILLE-ET-VILAINE
DATA PLAN

P-51 Mustang - type B-10 - s/n 42-106653 6N-F

p51 mustang 505fs

Macr: 5619

Mission:  Rennes (35)

Take-off: Station 378 Fowlmere, CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Shots by flak to 17h30

 
CEMETERYBRITTANY AMERICAN CEMETERY of St James

Map of St James American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
P226
DECORATION

Air Medal & Oak Leaf Clusters

 

Purple Heart

 

Good Conduct Medal

 

European European African Middle Eastern Campaing Medal

 

American Campaign Medal

 

World War II Victory Medal

 

USSAF Pilot Wings

 

Certificat Pilot

am olc

Photo FDLM

Good Medal Conduite

EAMECampaign

american campaign medal

aile pilote

Pilote Certificat

usaf 8AIRFORCE 339fg 505fs
STORY
 sawicki joseph 

We all know that D-Day was on June 6th 1944.

We also know that the battle to secure the beaches of Normandy lasted longer than that.

The 339th and most units of the Eighth Air Force flew around-the-clock, - three missions a day from June 6th to the 8th without pause. On the last mission of June 8th the 339th participated in dive-bombing missions to targets of opportunity in the vicinity of Rennes.

The weather was very poor – 4/10 overcast. The three squadrons, armed with 500, 250 and 100 pound bombs respectively, broke up before attacking various targets which included bridges, trains and a truck convoy. While the group was strafing and bombing their targets, eight FW-190s attacked and individual dogfights broke out. The 339th destroyed all eight FW-190s and lost three aircraft and two pilots - Lt. Robert Smith (503rd) was KIA – downed by a FW-190, Lt. Joseph F. Sawicki (505th) was KIA downed by antiaircraft from the motor convoy. Also lost that day was Lt. William A. Jones (505th) whose aircraft was badly damaged by a FW-190. Jones managed to fly his crippled aircraft to England. - Unable to land his badly damaged plane, he parachuted to safety !

Lt. Sawicki was a replacement pilot that had joined the 505th on May 13rd 1944 shortly after our arrival at Fowlmere. He was credited with having destroyed one Enemy Aircraft on the ground on May 27th. The details of the battle on June 8th ‘44 seem clear.

The various accounts and mission reports for this date state that the aircraft were in "loose trail formation" waiting for their turn to bomb a German column.

SAWICKI joseph f 1

sawicki joseph image attaque sawicki joseph image attaque
 sawicki joseph image attaque sawicki joseph image attaque 
sawicki joseph image attaque

The attack of the German convoy in the turns of the "Roland jump" road of Dompierre du Chemin
Photos from the movie machine gun of Major D Larson

 
 
sawicki joseph carte

Map of the combat location of the 7 crashes of June 8, 1944 north-east of vitre.

 
sawicki stele sawicki stele
sawicki stele Plaque in tribute to 2nd Lt. Joseph F. SAWICKI, Jr. at Princé, ILLE-ET-VILAINE
SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOabmc.gov - www.findagrave.com - www.honorstates.org - www.absa3945.com - www.littlefriends.co - Valentin GASCHER -  Jean-François PELLOUAIS - Francecrashes39-45.net 
PROGRAMMERFrédéric & Renaud
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