Son of Stanley Backowski who resided in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
John served as a Staff Sergeant & Tail Gunner on B-17G "Heaven Can Wait" #42-39869, 412nd Bomber Squadron, 95th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Fairfield County, Connecticut prior to the war.
S/Sgt John J. Backowski joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Charleston, West Virginia on 18 June 1942. He attended high school for 4 years and was an actor before he joined the army.
The airplane was under attack by Fw-190s just before the target. It had a hole in the right aileron and another in the right wing were the main gas tanks are located. The airplane winged over to the left and back in a slicing dive, gas spraying out and enveloping it in flames. No parachutes were seen to leave the aircraft. The entire crew of 10 were killed.
The killed crew members were initially buried at the New Cemetery at Rostock on 17 April 1944. They were disinterred and evacuated to Ardennes on 10 April 1947.
The grave of S/Sgt Backowski was marked with a grave marker with the inscription: 'Unbenkanner Englisher Flieger'. His remains were identified at Ardennes by 15 corresponding laundry marks and by his tooth charts. At Ardennes, he was first buried at block X, row 12, grave 287. He was disinterred on 6 December 1948 and his remains were prepared and placed in a casket on 13 January 1949. He was given his final resting place in September 1949...
B-17G #42-39869 took off from AAF Station 119, Horham, England on a bombing mission to Poznan, Poland. They were attacked by German FW-190's while on the way to the mission and were shot down and crashed near Rostock, Germany during the war.
John was "Killed In Action" during this attack along with the entire crew.
He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.
Service # 15170344
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-39869:
Backowski, John J ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, CT
Bannerman, Richard P ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, PA
Carlson, Roland L ~ S/Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, NE
DeYaeger, Raymond A ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, NY
Gopigian, Thomas ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, MI
Lillo, Wallace C ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, MN
Lintelman, Joseph D ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, PA
Rashead, Philip M ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, MI
Scully, Charles H ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, OH
Sefcik, Thomas A ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, PA
Wilson, Irving ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, NY
Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John served as a Staff Sergeant & Tail Gunner on B-17G "Heaven Can Wait" #42-39869, 412nd Bomber Squadron, 95th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Fairfield County, Connecticut prior to the war.
S/Sgt John J. Backowski joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Charleston, West Virginia on 18 June 1942. He attended high school for 4 years and was an actor before he joined the army.
The airplane was under attack by Fw-190s just before the target. It had a hole in the right aileron and another in the right wing were the main gas tanks are located. The airplane winged over to the left and back in a slicing dive, gas spraying out and enveloping it in flames. No parachutes were seen to leave the aircraft. The entire crew of 10 were killed.
The killed crew members were initially buried at the New Cemetery at Rostock on 17 April 1944. They were disinterred and evacuated to Ardennes on 10 April 1947.
The grave of S/Sgt Backowski was marked with a grave marker with the inscription: 'Unbenkanner Englisher Flieger'. His remains were identified at Ardennes by 15 corresponding laundry marks and by his tooth charts. At Ardennes, he was first buried at block X, row 12, grave 287. He was disinterred on 6 December 1948 and his remains were prepared and placed in a casket on 13 January 1949. He was given his final resting place in September 1949...
B-17G #42-39869 took off from AAF Station 119, Horham, England on a bombing mission to Poznan, Poland. They were attacked by German FW-190's while on the way to the mission and were shot down and crashed near Rostock, Germany during the war.
John was "Killed In Action" during this attack along with the entire crew.
He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.
Service # 15170344
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-39869:
Backowski, John J ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, CT
Bannerman, Richard P ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, PA
Carlson, Roland L ~ S/Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, NE
DeYaeger, Raymond A ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, NY
Gopigian, Thomas ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, MI
Lillo, Wallace C ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, MN
Lintelman, Joseph D ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, PA
Rashead, Philip M ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, MI
Scully, Charles H ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, OH
Sefcik, Thomas A ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, PA
Wilson, Irving ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, NY
Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Son of Stanley Backowski who resided in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
John served as a Staff Sergeant & Tail Gunner on B-17G "Heaven Can Wait" #42-39869, 412nd Bomber Squadron, 95th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Fairfield County, Connecticut prior to the war.
S/Sgt John J. Backowski joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Charleston, West Virginia on 18 June 1942. He attended high school for 4 years and was an actor before he joined the army.
The airplane was under attack by Fw-190s just before the target. It had a hole in the right aileron and another in the right wing were the main gas tanks are located. The airplane winged over to the left and back in a slicing dive, gas spraying out and enveloping it in flames. No parachutes were seen to leave the aircraft. The entire crew of 10 were killed.
The killed crew members were initially buried at the New Cemetery at Rostock on 17 April 1944. They were disinterred and evacuated to Ardennes on 10 April 1947.
The grave of S/Sgt Backowski was marked with a grave marker with the inscription: 'Unbenkanner Englisher Flieger'. His remains were identified at Ardennes by 15 corresponding laundry marks and by his tooth charts. At Ardennes, he was first buried at block X, row 12, grave 287. He was disinterred on 6 December 1948 and his remains were prepared and placed in a casket on 13 January 1949. He was given his final resting place in September 1949...
B-17G #42-39869 took off from AAF Station 119, Horham, England on a bombing mission to Poznan, Poland. They were attacked by German FW-190's while on the way to the mission and were shot down and crashed near Rostock, Germany during the war.
John was "Killed In Action" during this attack along with the entire crew.
He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.
Service # 15170344
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-39869:
Backowski, John J ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, CT
Bannerman, Richard P ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, PA
Carlson, Roland L ~ S/Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, NE
DeYaeger, Raymond A ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, NY
Gopigian, Thomas ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, MI
Lillo, Wallace C ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, MN
Lintelman, Joseph D ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, PA
Rashead, Philip M ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, MI
Scully, Charles H ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, OH
Sefcik, Thomas A ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, PA
Wilson, Irving ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, NY
Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John served as a Staff Sergeant & Tail Gunner on B-17G "Heaven Can Wait" #42-39869, 412nd Bomber Squadron, 95th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Fairfield County, Connecticut prior to the war.
S/Sgt John J. Backowski joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Charleston, West Virginia on 18 June 1942. He attended high school for 4 years and was an actor before he joined the army.
The airplane was under attack by Fw-190s just before the target. It had a hole in the right aileron and another in the right wing were the main gas tanks are located. The airplane winged over to the left and back in a slicing dive, gas spraying out and enveloping it in flames. No parachutes were seen to leave the aircraft. The entire crew of 10 were killed.
The killed crew members were initially buried at the New Cemetery at Rostock on 17 April 1944. They were disinterred and evacuated to Ardennes on 10 April 1947.
The grave of S/Sgt Backowski was marked with a grave marker with the inscription: 'Unbenkanner Englisher Flieger'. His remains were identified at Ardennes by 15 corresponding laundry marks and by his tooth charts. At Ardennes, he was first buried at block X, row 12, grave 287. He was disinterred on 6 December 1948 and his remains were prepared and placed in a casket on 13 January 1949. He was given his final resting place in September 1949...
B-17G #42-39869 took off from AAF Station 119, Horham, England on a bombing mission to Poznan, Poland. They were attacked by German FW-190's while on the way to the mission and were shot down and crashed near Rostock, Germany during the war.
John was "Killed In Action" during this attack along with the entire crew.
He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.
Service # 15170344
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-39869:
Backowski, John J ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, CT
Bannerman, Richard P ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, PA
Carlson, Roland L ~ S/Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, NE
DeYaeger, Raymond A ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, NY
Gopigian, Thomas ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, MI
Lillo, Wallace C ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, MN
Lintelman, Joseph D ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, PA
Rashead, Philip M ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, MI
Scully, Charles H ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, OH
Sefcik, Thomas A ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, PA
Wilson, Irving ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, NY
Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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