Chester J. Bruzdzienski.
Waist Gunner · 409th Squadron · Of Fairfield, CT.
The Man Behind the Name
Joined 409th Sqdn., 93rd Bomb Group at Hardwick, England. Flew 35 combat missions from Aug. 28, 1944 to March 7, 1945 as ball turret gunner.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.
Before and after.
Born March 16, 1925 in Plaines, PA; grew up in Fairfield, CT. Inducted into USAAF Oct. 6, 1943; basic training at Greensboro, NC. Aerial gunnery at Kingman, AZ (January 1944); graduated as ball turret gunner (April 1944). B-24 OTU training at Pueblo, CO; assigned to Lt. Peter Bakewell's crew. Picked up new B-24 at Lincoln, NE; flew overseas via northern route; additional training in Northern Ireland.
Reassigned stateside after completing tour; 30-day home leave; R&R at Atlantic City, NJ; Gunnery Instructors School at Laredo, TX. Discharged Oct. 26, 1945 at Sioux City, IA as staff sergeant. Received American Service Medal, ETO Service Medal, four Bronze Stars, and Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. Retired; enjoys golfing, bowling, and gardening. Resides in Fairfield, CT.