World War II Honoree

Stephen Wronka

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Franklin, New Jersey

Honored By

Mary Wronka

Relationship

Wife

ENTERED FIRST ACTIVE DUTY AUGUST 3, 1942. RELIEVED FROM ACTIVE DUTY MARCH 18, 1944. ENTERED SECOND ACTIVE DUTY MARCH 18, 1944 AND RELIEVED APRIL 27, 1946. 2ND LIEUTENANT. SERVED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS, MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY, NAVIGATOR BOMBARDIER 1036TH, 'AIR APACHES' 385TH AIR SERVICE SQUADRON, 5TH AIR FORCE, 501ST BOMB SQUADRON. SERVED IN BATTLES IN RYUKYUS, CHINA OFFENSIVE, AIR OFFENSIVE JAPAN, NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN, WESTERN PACIFIC CAMPAIGN, LUZON CAMPAIGN. SERVED IN OPERATIONAL FLIGHT MISSIONS FROM MAY 20, 1945 TO AUGUST 13, 1945 IN SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA WHERE HOSTILE CONTACT WAS PROBABLE AND EXPECTED. BOMBING MISSIONS WERE AGAINST ENEMY AIRDROMES AND INSTALLATIONS AND ATTACKS ON ENEMY NAVAL VESSELS AND SHIPPING. SERVED AS A NAVIGATOR ON B-25 AERIAL FLIGHT OVER THE INLAND SEA OF JAPAN ON AUGUST 11, 1945. PART OF A FORMATION STRIKE AGAINST JAPANESE SHIPPING IN THE AREA. SIGHTING AN ENEMY 1000-TON TANKER, THIS CREW FOLLOWED THEIR SQUADRON LEADER AND BOMBED THE VESSEL, BUT THEIR BOMBS FELL SHORT. ON A SECOND RUN, THEY DROPPED 2, 500-POUND BOMBS INTO THE VESSEL AT THE WATER LINE AND THE RESULTING EXPLOSIONS AND FIRE CAUSED THE SHIP TO SINK. NAVIGATOR ON B-25 AERIAL FLIGHT NEAR FUSAN, KOREA ON AUGUST 9, 1945. PART OF A FORMATION STRIKE AGAINST ENEMY SHIPPING IN THE AREA. SIGHTING A 1000 TON JAPANESE FREIGHTER NEAR THE KOREAN COAST, THIS CREW, FOLLOWING AN ATTACH ON THE BOW OF THE VESSEL BY THEIR FLIGHT LEADER, DROPPED THEIR BOMBS ON THE STERN OF THE SHIP. THE VESSEL SANK BEFORE THE PLANES LEFT THE AREA. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON WITH 1 BRONZE STAR, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 6 BRONZE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL. SERVED IN RYUKYUS, CHINA OFFENSIVE, AIR OFFENSIVE JAPAN, NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN, WESTERN PACIFIC CAMPAIGN, LUZON CAMPAIGN FROM MARCH 8, 1945 TO FEBRUARY 9, 1946.