World War II Honoree

Zigmund Harkiewicz

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Newark, New Jersey

Honored By

John Peterson

HE JOINED THE ARMY AIR CORPS, BECOMING A LIEUTENANT AND TRAINING IN CALIFORNIA AS A NAVIGATOR FOR THE B-24 LIBERATOR. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 15TH AIR FORCE, 456TH BOMB GROUP, IN STORNARA, ITALY IN 1944. AFTER FLYING MANY MISSIONS OVER GERMANY, HE AND HIS COMRADES WERE SHOT DOWN OVER CZECHOSLOVAKIA ON DECEMBER 16, 1944, THE FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, AFTER TAKING OFF ON A BOMBING MISSION BOUND FOR THE BRUX OIL REFINERY IN GERMANY. ALTHOUGH HE AND SEVERAL OF HIS CREW MEMBERS SURVIVED THE DANGEROUS PARACHUTE FALL AND MANAGED TO EVADE CAPTURE HIDING FOR SEVERAL DAYS IN ENEMY COUNTRYSIDE, EVENTUALLY THEY WERE CAPTURED. THEY WERE TAKEN TO FRANKFURT AND THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE STALAG LUFT 1, A PRISON CAMP FOR ALLIED AIRMEN BY BARTH NEAR THE BALTIC SEA ON THE NORTHERN COAST OF GERMANY. RUSSIAN FORCES LIBERATED THE PRISON ON MAY 1, 1945.